Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-03-11

New York, March 8. Il do not sup
pose that anybody, except some very
correct body, ever kept what might
properly zoe called diary. But we
people who dip quill in black ink
and hope to see the result in bread and
butter, with an occasional dab of jam,
are very apt to jot down, in a careless
sort of way, something about the
pleasures that come to us and of the
pleasant people We meet. 1t is rather
to our credit, we women who depend
upon our pens for the bread and butter
and jam, that We seldom write in any
book that is to be referred TO of the
disagreeable things or of the Disagree
able people. We can't afford to do this.
II we did We would become go saturated
with desire for revenge. with con.
tinual bitterness, that the world would
want none of us, and tho pen would be
dipped 10 the ink and there would be
no result whatever.
Recently | picked up newspaper
and read this beading to column:
The Duchess is Dead" | didn't get
out Burke's Peerage to see what
Duchess was sufficiently antiquated or
s victorious to be known merely by her
title. Indeed. gave no thought to
4 anybody of ao.called high degree. but
1 bent my head over my deHk and |
said, as if to somebody WIN could hear
me- Sod give her rest"
Then looked up the pages in the
Book of Life whereon this wOman's
name was written, not as it is written
in the worlds Book of Life, hut in that
smaller book which pertains to me
and found letter or two, pleasant
card, note of thanks and kind word
of encouragement. Then | went back
seven years and lived over few happy
hours whore. At st. Brenda's in
County Cork. There ia beautiful
Irish home surrounded by great gar
den that runs way down to the river
and on which there are not only many
rose trees and beautiful plants, but
fruit trees, a quarter of an aero Of
strawberry bods, and raspberry and cur.
rant bushes without number. But
am not going 10 tell you about the
home; am going to put down Just
what is written in that little old book
about the woman. She said to me at the
every first, in the funniest sort of way
"Yes they call me the Du chess, be.
cause il would be physical impossi-
bility for me to look as any duchess
does in flesh and blood As she
laughed there rose before me the
Duchess that Du Maurier Grew. Big of
bone, booked of nose, red OF face and
shockingly gowned; while the woman
standing before me was absolutely tiny !:
slight, but perfectly well formed. Her
hair was pretty light brown in color
and the great quantity shs possessed
was knotted loosely on top Of her head
and broke away into fascinating little
cpris on her forehead. From under
then looked out two dark brown eyes
With long curling lashes that sparkled
as IL delighted with all the world and
all the people 10 it, The mouth was
small, but determined; and the whole
expression Of the face was that Of a
woman OF wit, of sweet temper, and Of
goodness. Goodness never shows in a
face unless it exists in the soul.
| don't believe any duchess by birth
ever wore such frock as did this little
hostess of mine; it wa tea gown OF
soft, rich plush, Of that shade OF brown
You see in an autumn leaf. and about
the wrists and neck were rufflea OF rare
old lace, while the tiny feet, peeping
in and out from under her petItcoat,
were in just such bewitching Louis
Quinze shoes an Phyllis, " or "MoIly
Bawn," or Lillian, 2 or "Mrs. Geoif
rey'' would have joysd 10. Indeed, as
remember ner, think of tiny stat.
uette OF Dresden; and yet how brave
she was She never told me of the DART
days that came to her. heard Of then
from otnef people; that she marrieC
when very young and her husband dice
in less than six years, leaving her with
4 two tiny children to be cared Tor. Som,
years afterwards she married Henri
Il t.-e farfS rr.
my book was written about her in 1892
she was the mother of nix small people
one a baby called "Tom," who wa
only year old. lie was one of tn
dearest babies | ever saw, the yer
kind the Duchess herself wrote about
\ A white, bright, roly poly fellow, read
to be played with, ready to be hugge
and kissed, and ready TO he tosse
about for anyhodv's amusement and a
any time. But | must tell you VIVA
the lady OF the manor told me abou
her nom de plume.
Many yesre aga, just at tho time
4 was writing Phyllis / stopped wor
for while and went to attend a to
at the home of one OF my most intimat
friends. just aa l was going to ente
the drawing-room my host saw mt
came forward. waved the footma
away. and himself announced me I
the guests as her grace, the Duchess
He said this with great solemnit,
and as all Of us knew each other wei
there was great deal of laughter an
fun about it. Then somebody took
up and said that the title we'll BEGAN
me, because l was person of sue
august presence, l am exactly fly
feet, and at that time was very slende
1t was probably foolish, very frivolou
but we were light.hearted, all your
together, and laugh seemed tho vel
best thing that could happen US.
this name was put on the first shee
OF Phyllis and these sheets were Sci
ACROSS the water. where, funnily enoug
l am known by my title, though
England it is not used and not reco
nized. ! was Is years old when
began to write regularly, and | ha
never stopped. have written 81 move
and any number of short stories, al
have been glad it., in my own wa
have managed to make the Americ,
people understand that there is,
Ireland. something beside famin
something beside peasant; that the
is gentry, blue of blood, kind
heart, and courtly of manner. Nobor
knows as l do that have done nothi
great, but have tried never to wri
harmful word, and | have tri
earnestly to make goodness attractive
And she succeeded in this. You m
be very toploftical, and refuse to re
any novels except those written