New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-03
THE FUTURE OF LoRDLINGs.

A little while ago live prince-of the
Russian nobility, to be sure, where princes are
at the bottom Of the scale, and not at the top
was arrested on a charge Of swindling mer-
chant out Of fur coat, but was discharged on
the ground that police court was not the
place to collect debt. He had been con-
siderable figure in something which passes for
" society," in the society columns of some Of
the newspapers and was undoubtedly gen.
uine prince. Yet the awful discovery was
made when his rooms were searched that his
only property, sides pawn-tickets, consisted
Of the clothes he wore on his aristocratic per-
son, and one silk night-shirt, showing that, in
spite of his reverses, enough Of his ancestral
pride remained to forbid his sleeping in his
overcoat. This is not the only instsAce OF the
kind. Cases might be multiplied to show that
Q certain proportion Of the real hobility are
growing not only poor but disrepntable. Not
all those who are suddenly thrown upon their
own resources by declining incomes will 20
honestly to work. rs some have done In Eng
land, selling coal or keeping miIlincrs' shops.
Some win be too fond Of life of ease to give
il up and SO will develop into mere advent
America, and swindling tradesmen in every
county under the sun. The genuineness Of
their titles will give them footing they could
not got Otherwise and they will thus begin
speculative career on tho best possible terms.
Occasionally they may meet with brilliant sue
cess, but more often they are likely to fail, and
now and then they will be brought up with
round turn In the police court
The result will DO that vigilant and wealthy
fathers will learn TO look upon members Of
the nobility on their travels with profound
suspicion. Now their chief anxiety is to learn
whether these titles are genuine. They don't
want to discover when all is over and the last
guest has flown, that they have given away
their dear GIRL with a round hundred thousand
or two that was still more dear 10 them per-
haps, to an English groom or to the son OF an
Italian gardener. But the time may come
when their chief dread viii be 10 learn that
there Is q real baron or prince among the young
men who frequent the house So soon as the
damning fact Is discovered that he bears title
he will become an object of suspicion. he
win be required TO prove his good character.
His relations to his tradesmen will be investi-
gated. Perhaps the rogues' galleries will be
visited 10 see whether tho counterfeit present
ment of the features that have been handed
down through so many generations arc to DO
seen there Hde by eide with those of mon whose
features cannot DO said to have been handed
down to them, but were flung at them, so to
speak In that day the way Of the young
nobleman will be hard. As he feels himself
to DO met with dark distrust at every turn, he
will crnse tho fate that burdened his progress
through life with a title. He will wish that
he had been born dry-goods merchant or
gas-ftter. Then wealth, social position. the
hand Of the woman he loved all might have
been his. But now he Is suspected, ostracised.
condemned.
This changed condition Of things WILL Of
course, reflect itself in our literature. In the
novel and tho play, tho poor and humble VS.
count will appear before the purse-proud me-
chanic to ask his daughters hand In marriage.
and will be repulsed With bitter scorn. He
will be reminded in words Of deep contempt
that he can trace his ancestry back beyond the
Crusaders, and his eyes viii I'll with tears Of
angry humiliation as he realizes that this fact
raises the presumption that his personal prop
ery consists mostly of pawn-tickets. He will
be reminded that II is an insuferable preteu-
sion for low lordling to think of aspiring to
tho hand Of the daughter Of q wealthy mo
chanic, whose family there is every reason to
believe have always been respectable, though
nobody knows who they were. He will be
tainted with the fact that he Is tho son Of six
dozen earls, and reminded that he owns badge
Of ignominy. known ss o coat-of-arms. contain
ing various lions rampant. wings sable, and
unicorns argent. He viii blush and be silent,
for he will not be able to deny 1t. Over
whelmed with shame and despair he win rush
from the door Of his love, leaving all hope be-
hind. The audience viii weep for the poor
viscount II win be scold day for the nobility.
HINT TO STREET BANDS.
Tho average street band is understood TO COM