The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-14
Say Grace to Duchess, But Ma'an to a

-
Princess.
It is little wonder that foreigners
bungle over our titles as they do, says
an English paper, when in our own
public speeches and newspapers it is
often made plain that many do not I'M
derstand how to use English titles.
For instance a marquis's daughter
who married a man without a title
keeps the title of LADY" and her own
Christian name and adds TO these the
husbands surname
Thus, when Lady Evelyn Fitzmaurice
the daughter of the Marquis of Lans-
downe, married Mr.. Victor Cavendish
last July she became Lady Evelyn
Cavendish: but the London dailies
spoke OF Lady Victor Cavendish's GO
ing-away dress"
The only case in which lady of title
is called by her husbands Christian
name as well as his surna me is in the
case of the wives of the younger sons
of dukes and marquises. These men
bear courtesy titles of Lord" before
their Christian names and surnames, as
Lord George Hamilton, Lord Charles
Beresford, and SO on, and the only cor
rect way of addressing or speaking of
their wives is the same way, putting
Lady" in the place of Lord.
To call the wives of Younger sons
Gladly Hamilton" Lady BeresfOrd,"
or whatever is the surname, without the
male Christian name, is as incorrect as
to call Lady Evelyn Cavendish" by
her husbands full name.
On the other hand. the wife of a
baronet or of knight is Lady" with
his surname alone after it
Confusion grows in many minds from
the fact that any peeress (under the
rank of a Duchess is spoken of, and 10,
by her equals as merely Lady" So-and
So-the name added however, not being
the family name, but the title of her
husband.
Thus, no equal would say, 81 saw the
Marchioness of Salisbury" or There is
the Countess of Lathom'-it would be
Lady Salisbury" and Lady Lathom. p"
A duchess, the highest rank in the
peerage, is the only peerless who escapes
this equality of title in everyday Ian
guage of her equals in society. She is
never called Lady" only, but is spoken
of as 1.-The Duchess of So-and-So' in full
always, and is addressed in converse
ton by her friends as Duchess" the
name of the peerage not added.
Moreover, every other lady of title,
from knights wife (Which is not a
real title) right away up to a marchion-
ess, is equally My Lady" to her social
interiors.
Sir John Smiths wife is Lady Smith.
The wife of Lord John Smith, who is a
peers younger son, is Lady John Smith,
and if you know her on terms of equal
ity you may call her Lady Smith. Lady
Mary, daughter of either the earl or
, the marquis or the duke of somewhere,
and the wife of Mr.. John Smith, is
| Lady Mary Smith; call her Lady Mary
if she seems friendly, but not Lady
Smith or Lady John Smith
The wife of Lord Smith. or the earl
or the marquis of Smithville, you may
call Lady Smith or Lady Smithville, as
the case may be, but if Smithville is a
| duke, on no account call his wife Lady
Smithville."
If you think that she will snub you
as too familiar, you may call her SIM
ply Duchess" You may say Duchess,
may l get you some tea?' for example.
But till you know her well, or feel on
quite friendly terms, it had better be.
''Will your grace take a cup of tea?"
Finally, the oldest thing of all, if
fate should make you acquainted with
a prince or princess of the blood royal,
you will seem very second rate if you
keep saying your royal highness"
You must say sir and ''ma'am, !"
Not, if you please, madam" but
ma am" as your housemaid says to
your own meek better half, Mrs. Smith.
Even duchess calls princess ''ma'am."
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