The morning times., 1895-10-27
Mistress Of
BIenheim cAstle
WHAT MARLBOROUGH MILL con-
PER UPON HIS BRIDE.
She Will Take Precedence of the
Three Duchesses of That
Noble British House.

Contrary to the expectations OF many
persons interested in the nearly approach
ing Vanderbilt Marlborough marriag ge, there
will be no more red tape measures taken
than when any simple American man takes
unto himself wife.
The British consul in New York and
the British ambassador at Washington viii
witness the ceremony, to be performed
according to the ritual OF the American
Episcopal church, and when the final ben
ediction is pronounced, the young duchess
formally becomes a British subject. The
rule is the same for the citizeness OF the
States who Dlarries an English coachman,
or an English peer, and already the order
has been given the court stationer in Old
Bond street. London. to engrave a big
batch OF visiting cards with the simple
inscription 1.-The Duchess of Marlborough"
NUMEROUS DowAGERs.
Until i recent date, there were four
Duchesses of Marlborough; all of them
dowagers, namely. the present dukes
mother, his grandmother and grcat-grand-
mother, as well as the lady his father
married after separating from his first
wife.
The fourth and youngest duchess laid
aside her right TO that title recently by
marrying Lord Beresford and the dukes
own mother prefers to can herself tho
Marchioness OF Blandford. Notwithstand-
ing this array OF mothers-in-law In the
first, second and third degree, her grace.
Consueio of Marlborough, Just out OF her
teens, and a delightfully."- shy. modest young
person at that, Will be the first. and. in
the eyes of the world, the only duchess OF
this great name.
She viii, in all court functions, walk be-
fore every one Of the dOwagcr duchesses.
She only will be mistress OF Blenheim
palace, and have the right to wear the
strawberry half coronet. In fact, ouly ten
other OF the thirty-odd duchess-s in the
English peerage will have a night TO pre-
cele the little American anywhere There
are only ten English dukes OF an Older
creation than Marlborough, that was made
in 1902
It is true three Scotch dukes secured
their titles q century earlier, those of Ar
gyH, Buccieuch and Hamilton dating back
as late as 1900, but at court weddings,
christenings, balls, and drawing rooms
Miss Vanderbilt goes in before any Scotch
ster, before her own god-mother, the
Duchess of Manchester, the only other
duchess of American birth.
HER STATIoNER.
Indeed, there is no American woma who,
at the court OF St James, will outrank this
young lady, whose nnte paper as well as her
cards, are being done at the statioDer's
on Bond street. Some OF II viii bear her
initials, c. ", surmounted by the coruDet
and the Marlborough motto beneath, and
some of il VIII shO W the full cUat-of-arms OF
the family, in all the proper Colnrs. or
merely embossed in high relief in white.
those of the Vanderbilt family and friends
who have expressed the wishes of the yuung
duchess to be, to guide them in a selection
of wedding gifts, are buying Jewels.
In spite of the many other spiendors of
which she falls heir by her marriage, Miss
Vanderbilt receives really but two family
jewels from the once overflo wing casket of
the Marlborough duchesses. 1t was the
great Sarah who began this collection of
gems, at one time the most famous in all
Europe, but some twelve years ago the
great eorbeilIe of diamonds went under
the hammer, and really all to-day left
OF these historically, as well as Intrinsic
ally valuable suit Of precious stones, Ia
the duchess coronet, two handsome rings,
a necklace and a magnificent brooch,
meant to attach a court train at the
shoulder. To these the duke added many
excellent pieces just before sailing for
derhilt's people to give her such supply
OF Jewels that her reputation as a ge9
uine duchess viii be proudly sustained.
THE CoRoNET.
Her coronet is pretty affair, as big a.
the base as a small teacup saucer. Its
first band is a wreath OF diamond straw
berry blossoms, and above this in points
rise the strawberry leaves, also or dia-
monds, and this she will wear on great
ceremonials at court, for weddings, coro-
nations and the like.
At other times her head may be jew
eled according to preference, and it IL
only on the occasion OF a coronation,
when, in robes and full court dress, the
young duke will wear his heavy gold jew
eled eoronet, with its cap OF crimson satin
and band of ermine.
At that Interesting point in the mar
riage ceremony when young Charles Rich
ard, John, Spencer. Churchill, ninth Duke
of Marlborough; Marquis OF Blandford.
Earl OF Sunderland. Earl OF Marlborough,
Baron Spencer, of Wormleighton, and Baron
Churchill, OF cambridge, Prince OF the Holy
Roman Empire, Prince Of Mlndelheim in
Suabia, and lieutenant of the Oxfordshire
Queens Own Hussars, takes Miss Wander
bilt's hand in his own, to place the ring,
saying: with all my worldly goods thee
endow," a great many present viii wonder
Just what that sentence actually signifies.
Not very much from financial standpoint,
in comparison with any OF our wealthy
American young men.
Saving a few modest small holdings in
real estate, scattered through various
shires, his chief possession is the great
palace of Blenheinl, at Woodstock, in Ok
fordshire, which, when completed. cost
81 500 900, Of which all but $500, 900,
spent by the MarTboroughs, was paid by the
English people This, every one knows,
was done in honor of the great duke, ono
of the richest peers OF his time.
FORMER POSSESS ION.
So rich was he. indeed, that he COM
planned of having on hand a hundred and
fifty thousand dollars he did not know
what to do with. A single speculation
Duchess Invested in paintings, in porce-
lains, jewels and extending her gardens,
until Blenheim ranked as a palace next in
splcndor to Versailles.
But Blcnheim, under the late Duke, lost
much of its magnificence, From its walls
were sold all but the family portraits
Under the hammer went the collection OF
Rubens, the most valuable In England,
the Murillos seven Van Dykes, Titians,
Leiys, and one Raphael. Many Of these
pictures hang to-day in the national gal
lery in London.
In $50 the whole collection of porc,lains
went to the highest bidders. and lastly the
library, the precious Sunderland books
bringing the duke a round $500 600
A PRINCELY HOME
Yet the palace is a beautiful, stately pile,
set in park of 2,e00 acres. in which is
lake 1 so acres in extent. On every hand
doors and windows open on gardens. 16O
acres of flowers, divided into italian and
American gardens and the rosary.