The Washington times., 1895-05-17
December Is Rich,
JUn0 Is Handsome
BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS
AND HER YOUNG HUSBAND.
She Has Settled $25o,ooo An
nually on Him and Is
Very Kind.

The Baroness BurGett-C Coutts, ,thoughnow
IN her eighty second year, appears to take
as much interest inlife as she ever did. She
continues TO giveidnners and evening re-
ceptions at PiocadHly and garden parties
at Holly Lodge. She is particularly at
tentive 10 artists and strangers.
While stopping for lew moments in
London Lady Burdett-Coutts invited me
to one OF her afternoons at Piccad1Iy. The
house, though one OF the largest IN London,
is very unattractive both outside and in.
After passing through the hands of sew
eral servants with powdered wigs, 1 was
announced at the door of the large draw
ing-room where Lady Coutts was pouring
tea. She rose. came forward, and greeted
me very cordially, saying, 1T is very
good of you to come"
Being exceedingly thin and also slight
ly tremulous, she appeared quite her
age, but there was an interest in her guests
and in things generally that showed she
still found life and people attractive
Though there were several good looking
women in the room my hostess was easily
the center of attraction. There was moth
ing OF the confident self-assertion OF the
the gentle unobtrusiveness OF the old maid
HER DELICATE CONSIDERATION.
Most OF her callers Were elderly men I
fancied as watched her surroundinged by
several of these gray boards that one or two
ranked among the numerous suitors who
bad so persistently sought her hand for
many years. Her husband was rot there.
There was a marked toue of tenderness in
tNaF Nrraaf he sod lfT1g far
Mr.. Burdett-C -Coutts has goue hULjiIg,'
which showed how fond she was OF him.
Lady Bnrdett -Coutts respects the fact
that her husband is only halr Eer age, and
she treats HIM more Ike petted son than
a husband. He always accompanies her
to parties and dinners and is very attentive.
AT other times she refuses to burden him
with the care OF an old woman and allows
him perfect liberty with his young COM
panions.
At the time of their marriage she settled
on him an annuity or $3.50 ,000 and fittedup
the large house adjoining hers for the en-
tertainment of his friends Although when
be changed his name it was officially given
as Burdett-Coutts- Bartlett both he and she
began at once to leave off the Bartlett. I
suppose because they knew three names
would prove impracticable and they wished
to be called by the same name, or rather
she did; he knew that be must be known as
Lazy BurOell-OOullS DUSDduu GGQ PROD
bly, thought he might as well be brave
HER DRESS AND sUIToRS.
Lady Burdett-Coutts' dress is often very
much criticized by Americans, but in that
she differs little from English women gen.
orally. At the tea she wore a black silk
gown and a white lace cap; the next week
at an evening party she was costumed in
ed velvet, cut low, aud above her brow
was diamond tiara which had belonged to
Marie Antoinette. heard her dress that
evening estimated at one Thousand pounds.
Or course, the low neck was most uuIDecom-
ing, but then all the old ladies present were
In the same kind OF costume.
Lady BHrdettCout owns the Iyceum
tbeater. She is very fond OF IFying's act
ing, and is TO be seen evening after evening
in ber large box at the right OF the stage
surrounded by friends The box is luxuTi-
ously furnished. and between the acts ices
aud other refreshments are served
1t is probable that no other woman living
has received so many offers of marriage.
From the time when at the age of twenty
she came TO London, the inheritor or her
grandfather's large estate until her mar
riage, the Barouess was besleged by suitors
OF all ages aud ranks, FROM The Duke
d'AumRle, down to numerous cranks; sew
eral times she has been obliged To appeal
to the protection OF the police on account
OF the latter. very common question
before her marriage among men Of suita-
BILE position was: Have you proposed to
the Baroness?" A young American at
tache az the legation was asked this ques-
duriug his first season in Loudon by a
titled batcheIor. The answer being in
the negative, the batchelor replied: II
esteem it every mans duty-I did"
THE DISPOSITION OF HER VAST
WEALTH.
What Lady Burdett-coutts will do with
her property is a matter of much interest
and also anxiety TO some The fortune
left her, estimated at one million nine hun
dred Thousand pounds, is not larger than
many estates both here aud in England
that are not considered at all by the public,
because they know that apart, perhaps,
from few small bequests, the bulk OF the
money VIII certainly descend TO the nearest
heirs 1t was her Euperlative philan-
thropy that induced the Queen TO offer her
a peerage in 1871, and she is the only
woman that has ever been made peer on
account OF her own merits.
Thousands of the pour OF Loudon have