Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-16
MANNERS OF GREAT PEOPLE.
What a Writer Thinks Who Has Had
an Opportunity 10 Learn.
EXAMPLES OF sNoBBlsHNEss.
To Ne Treated Pleasantly by Great
People seems 90 surprise
Most People.

NfAaAnNa on the SUBJECT OF the de-
meanor OF those in high social position
TO others OF rank inferior to their own.
that II occurred to me TO write few
OF my own personal experiences Of in
terviews with great folk. given Just as
they occurred. All such interviews have
been on business, though 90 what busl-
ness II Is quite Unnecessary 10 state;
suffice II TO say that Il has been In a
capacity necessitAtinE the education
and training OF gentiowoman.
Ally first interview took place a long
while ago, when l was nothing more
than schoolgirl. having just entered
on the struggle TO earn a living, since
crowned with very fair success
had to see the daughters Of a certain
wen known Scotch duke, who had not
then made his second marriage, his
daughters being chaperoned by the
lady who was doing the duties OF m
lshing Eoverness to his youngest
daughter The ladies In question were
very civil but also very patroniElng,
which. however. they might quite well
have been TO a girl SO much younger
than themselves. even In their own
sphere. remember thar they took me
the rounds OF some family pictures,
and trap laid for me by one % them
remains In my recollection. 50 that ]
feel small, though doubtless quite
undeserved, rankle In my mind tow
ards that lady TO this very day.
Taking me up To the portrait OF n
rather short. Observation-Disclosures man,
with hair Of decided inclination to be
rcd, clad In full Highland dress, she
asked me " did not think him an
ugiy man. a quick thought that these
were family portraits together with "a
distinct feeling that the face was a fine
one. n not precisely handsome.
prompted me to say that IL was Il
| very fine face hut did not like High
land dress 1t Is my father" was the
| reply and ! grew hot at the very no
| ton OF what my feelings would havo
| been had l followed her lead and
/ agreed that he was an ugly man.
The impression LETT ON my mind by
/ this meeting was that the ladies not
only were supremely conscious them
/ selves, but took pains 10 Impress ur'n
me that between such az they were
/ and such as was, there was. indeed.
a great gulf fixed, Their govcrness
! told me later that her charge, the
/ youngest daughter OF the house, had
| complained To her eldest sister that
! she tthe governessl had stopped to
| speak TO me IN the park when out
I with her, FOR which piece OF snobblsh-
ness, To her sisters credit be II spoken,
she was well lectured The young lady
IN question evidently held her rank In
less esteem later, as she married the
son or n wealthy manufacturer.
Another Interview with duchess
| who has since lost her husband in a
tragic manner. was OF the most agree
able nature. had an appointment
with her grace's lady secretary, and
ls.V Ia HNs..g "a
| by tootmani TO md lady IN black
standing at the bottom of the stairs
!, feeling SURE that II was the lady who
had written TO me, said Miss O.,
prcsumeT' II am the Duchess OF
b" was the answer. laughlngly
spoken.
/ at once nnoloElEed, but was speedily
set at ease by tho duchess, who assured
mo that she would try 10 do as well as
her secretary, who had been Obliged
20 go out. aud that anything she did
not know ! was 10 leave the question
written with her. and her secretary
| should answer Il by post However,
there was no need TO write; I was told
| everything ! required 20 know, and
that In n way which made II unneccs-
! sary for me 20 ask question after
question, which would have been awk-
ward for me- heinE younger and Of very
| Inferior social position la tho world tp
pleasant task to be obliged to question
! closely even an equal or inferior on
every point l was fully Informed. while
was made 60 sit out Of the draught
and In a comfortable chair. Before
l leaving / was asked to have tca and.
on taking my departure the duchess
was most kind, thanking me for tho
attention which I had bestowed on
I what she had 10 say, and holding out
her hand at parting. and when | took
Il she shook hands quite cordially and
[ warmly
I correspondence with when she was yet
Z n marchloness, and very delightful lit
] tie notes I had from her. which
! Justly regard now M all tho more
charming that she did not view with
I any favor those things which my bust
/ ness compelled me to ask her to do,
I but which never failed TO press upon
I her. ] knew her appearance well. and
/ when l went to see her easily picked
| her out OF several ladies standing In n
group, for she In young, tall and lovely.
] 1 went straight to her and said as
usual: "Thc Duchess Of s., | pre-
sumner" and ON receiving an aiiirma-
tive reply. proceeded 10 say had come
| by appointment. "Oh, I'm 20 sorry;
rColly had forgotten. but 1 remember
row quite well, and 1 am very glad /
Lad not gone out. Come with me.
/ Please. L went anu Nhn clihAhluhty
treated, even though what i wanted
was refused. II was done so gently.
end with such an apparent reluctance
to be personally dlsagrecable In refusal
that the interview was quite pleasant
one, leaving q nice recollection oven
though the result was unfavorable TO
/ my mission,
Another refusal, rendering n certain
amount Of work useless, was so very
pretuly expressed IN writing by an
Irish duoheHs that I always feel
strotg personal regard for her grace,
who knows me not save by letter. II
was gracefully worded. whimsical
little note, In which the last sentence
was II hope you VIII not think that !
am very "" which l certainly did
not
THE transactions have had with
ladies OF royal rank have In every case
been pleasant and satisfactory, with
,ne exception and even then u. II, II.
was most gracious. most charming,
most acquiescent. but, alas, most
] changeable, giving me permission To
do everything ] wished, and recalling
Il by telegram that very evening, at
the same time giving me kind OF
command 10 30 again TO her residence.
ON quite n recent occasion j had -
visit a magnificent ducal country resi-
dence, and. although not brought into
personal contact with either the duke
or the duchess. had many Interview
with the daughters OF the house. How
altogether charming they were 1 am
never likely 70 forget II was on the
eve Of a great ceremony. Royal per-
| sonaees were In the house. but these
/ ladies' besides telling me everything !
asked were good enough to be inter.