Evening star., 1898-02-26
ROMANTIC RECRUITING
How an English Regiment Was Raised by
Kisses.
Jean, Duchess Of Gorden, Who Per.
suaded the Highlanders to Acc
cept the Queens Shilling.
Mrs. Armytase in the Pail Mall Magazine.

MIS-. Armytage In the Pau Mall Magazine.
The somewhat romantic interest In this
beautiful and romantic woman 0ean.
Duchess of Gordon) has bean lately re-
vived. when the brave deeds Of the Gordon
Highlanders have been so conspieuousiy
brought before the notice Of the public;
for 1t was entirsly owing to the Duchess
of Gordon's loyal activity that this regi-
ment was originally raised in Aberdeen
shire. The writer Gas one of her great
grandchildren may perhaps be pardoned
for the fesling of pride in being permitted
to recall many of the personal Incidents
and traditions surrounding those first re-
cruits for this most popular regiment,
which now bears upon it's colors the his
tcrtc names of almost every battlefield
Wfere British troops have fought and con-
qrered.
Married to Alexander Duke of Gordon, in
1867, Duchess Jean fairly took London by
stern, and at once became one of the great
leaders in society. Her reputation for wit
and energy was almost proverbial, and had
been well established during the first
twenty years of her married life; so 1t was
not surprising that the first rumors of a
pc ssible French invasion quickly reached
the duchess, and were apparently discussed
in royal circles, for it is said that when the
prince regent spoke of the imperative ne
cessity of increasing very largely the num-
Der OF his majestys forces, the duchess
joined in the discussion, and made q wager
with the prince regent that she would
raise regiment before his royal highness,
though she did not disclose the special
manner in which she proposed to gain the
victory.
AT this time the duchess must have been
over forty years of age, and apparently
still as irresistibly charming as in the ear
iier days of her life: while most certainly
Eer energy was unabated, as in this very
year the gossiping diaries of Miss Berry re-
late that this lady spent sixteen hours out
OF the twenty-fo IN constant round of
amusement; relating that upon one day
just then, "she had begun by attending
Handers music at Westminster Abbey.
then to Hastings trial, dinner and play,
Lady L9can,s assembly, Ranelaugh, and
Mrs. Hobart's 'farse,' and herself gave a
ball in the evening before that morning in
which she must have got a good way, be-
fore setting out for Scotland" Probably
that ball was the occasion on which the bet
regent and hds brothers, the Dukes of york
ana sussex, were frequent guests at her
house. But We must picture the duchess
ard her son, Lord Huntley q fine-lookins
young man OF twenty-four years old, start
Ing of on their long journey to Scotland in
the spring of the year 1874; and we know
mat an official sanction was sent to the
luke OF Gordon to raise regiment for the
kings service, and was dated February 10,
I'94. Lord Huntley, by her side, no doubt
spoke eloquently Of the glories of a SOL
dfer's life, and his mother urged each stall
Wart Highlander to accept the kings shil-
ling with her sweet smiles and winning
ways; and when at last all other persua-
sions failed. tradition, well founded on fact.
tells that just kiss from the beautiful
duchess completed the conquest SO no
doubt all her charms had outlived her
youthful days. for the authorities at the
War once in London were very quickly in
formed that the regiment was complete and
thousand strong.