Middletown transcript., 1896-07-18
Romance ofaADuehess.

Romance of A Duchess.
The Duchess of Portland has GER
tainly one of the most romantic love
histories of any woman in England,
and it is very far from being ancient
history' as yet, for she was married
only about four years ago and is still
far on the sunny side of thirty. She
was Miss Dallas Y orke, whose father
was a well-knowned officer. She was,
and is, very tall and striking-look ing,
with a remarkably sweet, intelligent
face. rather than strictly handsome
one. And she had not very much
money, says the Boston Transcript.
One day, about five or six years ago,
she(then quite a young girl full of
fun and mi,chief) went with a party Of
friends to the 'Devil's DYKE" near
Brighton, where there is a celebrated
gypsy queen" and fortune-teller. All
the party got their fortune told, and
Miss Dallas Yorke was greatly amused
to hear that she was to marry erich
young duke" She thought this pro-
phecy just as improbable as most
young giils without much money would
think it, but she "reckoned without
her host"-and the impetuous young
Duke of Portland, whom at that time
she had never seen. Aud now the story
goes to the duke himself:
He had been one day to Euston Stat
len to bid farewell to some friends who
were going away. He-had seen them
off, and was about to saunter leisurely
from the station when his eyes hap
pened to fall upon young lady who
was looking from carriage window
in a train just about to depart. 1t was
the Scotch express, which leaves Lon
don about 2 O'Clock in the afternoon.
by Jove!' thought the duke. "That's
the incest girl ever saw. I'll marry
her, if she'll have me-or I'll never
marry mortal womanp'
As he 50 decided, the train began
moving out of the station, and with
out stopping for further thought, he
leaped on board. He would have liked
to get into the carriage where he had
seen the pale, thoughtful girls face
which had charmed him, but the train
was going too rapidly for that, and he
had to get in where he could. At each
station he looked, out, meaning to
leave the train wherever the unknown
left it. And again he attempted. to
find place in the frst-class compart-
ment which held her. But it was full,
and he had to dep ,rt discounted. At
Edinburgh, the divinity got out, with
her party. The duke followed. but,
though he fought his way through the
crowd, somehow, luck failed him, and
he lost sight of her. For more than a
week he stayed in Edinburgh, looking
everywhere, but never finding her
whom he sought.
Then he went home, disgusted with
himself and fate. He could not get
the face which he had found and lost
out of his head. 1t seemed to him ideal.
And consequently, he was melancholy.
The 18th of August came, and he was
due in Scotland. away up in the North,
at the moor of friend, who had been
also a great friend of his fathers. But
for he first time in his life Scotland
and the 12.h was no charms for him.
He did not wish to 60 ond would have
made some excuse had it not been for
his mother, the duchess, who reminded
him of the old family friendship and
insisted That he should keep his promise.
So the duke went off to Scotland
again, much hipped and out of humor.
He arrived at his friends place just in
time to dress for dinner, and going
down to the drawing-room. he found
that he was the first one there, save
tall girl VIII stood by the fire, with her
back to him. She turned on his en-
trance and, to his joy and surprise, he
saw that it was the divinity who had
filed his thoughts for the past month.
They began to talk a little-were friends
by the time the others had come down
to dinner-and in a fortnight they were
engaged to be married. So the gypsy's
prophecy was fulfilled.