Middletown transcript., 1893-07-15
LADY HENRY SOMERSET.


A romance adorning English life
that is Lady Henry Somerset. He
character sketch would, il adequatel
written, be a kaleidoscope picture Q
English life, bright with its splendo
and lurid with its gloom-radiant wit
the glories of ancient fame, and sti
more radiant with the promise o
things to come, but at the same tim
never entirely free from the shadow o
the lowering thunder cloud. But al
that can be'done is to sketch lightly
few Of the salient features Of singu
larly varied character and to. trace
with rapid pen the stages through
which this typical modern woman ha'
passed in the evolution which hal
landed her at last the acknowledged
leader of one of the most important
movements of modern times. That
is the presidency of the British
Woman's Temperance Association.
When Lady Isabel came out, as the
phrase goes-which, being interpreted,
means that she had been presented at
Court and was entered as an eligible
for engagement in the matrimonial
market-she created mild stir of ex-
ci' 'ement among matchmaking man.
mas. For Lady Isabel was great
heiress. Eastnor Castle and Reigate
and Somers Town were her destined
heritage, and such dowry would lave
redeemed the shortcomings of Cinder-
elias sisters. But Lady Isabel was
much more like Cinderella herself
after the benefcient fairy had arrayed
her for the ball. She was young, pi-
quaint, pretty, accomplished, capital
company and of the highest aristo-
cracy. But pretty Lady Isabel had
small notion of being made merchant
disc of, even to the most eligible suitor
who coveted her possessions.
''THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE-" &C.
Lady Isabel had at that time but one
dream. Like many another girl Of
eighteen she loDged to meet Prince
Charming, to marry him and to live
happily ever afterward. And now at
the very Threshold stood Prince
Charming waiting for her. They were
made for each other, gossip said. The
most eminent matchmakers of the day
had conspired to bring about a union,
but their efforts we're destined to fail,
and Lady Isabel, at this early period Of
her career, realized the relentless
cruelty of world that is before all
things else opportunlst in its view of
marriagn settlements. There is per-
baps nothing that is destined to make
a mind more cynical than the barefaced
manner In which wealth is saught,
it be in wife or husband. Every
woman who has property in prospect
realizes the humiliation of proposal
that occurs at the very outset Of ac-
quaintance. Lady Isabel was the pur-
suit of the marriageable youth. Among
her other suitors was a younger son of
the Beaufort family. He proposed and
Lady Isabel refused. But course
was pursued by this by no means dis
concerted aspirant that was likely to
prove successful In the present emer-
gency. He withdrew from the world,
his intention to live for a
philanthropic purpose and seemed to
,corn, the idle life Of society any
onger.
Lady Somers was above all things
anxious that her daughter should re-
main with her after marriage as before,
ind she saw in Lord Henry Somerset,
who had no fortune of his own, a son
gained and daughter regained, and
with the influence which such a mother
exerted over such daughter,
when Lord Henry Somerset renewed
lis suit. Lady Isabel passively ac-
Iuiesced, and then it was that Lady |
Isabel Somers became Lady Henry |
Somerset.
THE LORDS OF BADMINToN.
From worldly point of view it did |
1ot seem disadvantageous. The ducal
'amily, to which Lord Henry stood
second In succession, is one OF the
most distinguished In the West Coun-
ry. The Duke OF Beaufort is one OF |
hose remarkable men whose character
v. Taine would have loved to delineate
IS the last surviving type of the MINI
cd peer. Polished. agreeable, puncti-
ious in the discharge of his duties in
church and in State-as he conceived
hem-the Duke unites the morals OF
,harles III. with the primitive tastes
4 Squire Western.
BadmfntOn, tnat prlncely PIE 10
lind Of Mecca OF the hunting world,
q which the chief end of man is the
,ursuit of the fox six days a week.
Sastnor is a library and museum.
There are books at Badminton, but
hey are of less account than spurs and
tirrups. and as for relics, the armor OF
he Black Prince, forgotten in the
arret, is as nothing compared with
he brush Of the latest fox. Lord
henry Somerset, the second llegitimate)
on Of the Duke, was, as bedtted .
cion of such house, in high favor In
ourt and in the counsels Of the con-
srvative party. He was one OF Mr..
)israeli's proteges, and when the tories
anne In in 1874 be became Comptroller /