The age-herald., 1898-07-27
An EnaIish Bride Elect.

Miss Joan Wilson Is the most earefnily and frequently discussed young woman Ill London society just now. Her approachlhs marriage to the young Duke of Manehesteo is very much talked of in English swell dom, and she will be one of the notapie English brides of the season.
 correspondent says:
 Miss Wilson, as a matter of fact, VIII receive something near 100000 pounds, ior though she has sisters, they are not any oi them likely to marry duke, and titieo lux uries must be handsomely paid for. In ap- pearance the bride-elect is slender, dark' vivacious little woman, very American III appearance, dress and manner, and she was born a few years before his young grace or Manchester, who has this year attaineo his majority.
 William Angus Drogo Montagu, to give the young man his full name, is whole some, rosy, cheerful English youth, nor burdened with a very old title nor very large estates. The Montagus and Mande- villes, from both of which families he Is descended, show good names in English history, but not quite two hundred years ago was the dukedom bestowed upon the deserving patriots Had the immediate an- cestors of this young man considered sober ly their duty to posterity he would proba- bly have come into as pretty an estate ana beautiful heirlooms as a duke could de- sire.
 Unfortunately both his father and his grandfather rather despised the claims of interiors, and save for three old worn-out fams, on one of which his mother lays a claim as her dover house, he possesses small worldly goods. kimbolton Castle, Brampton Park and Tanderagee Castle in Ireland all fine, expensive, badly worn old places, and of plate, pictures. library bric-a-brac or jewels he has absolutely nothing.
 There was a time when the Duchesses of Manchester wore the finest pearls in Europe, and even a generation ago the laces and plate alone were worth nearly a half million. All these splendors nave absolutely disappeared and Of the late duke it was often said could he have sold his seat in the house of lords and his place in the order of precedence at court, he would gladly have done so
 With her handsome marriage portion, Miss Wilson will probably darn up many grievous rents in the Manchester for tunes. Immediately on announcement or her betrothal the Prince and Princess or Wales sent to congratulate the young people and offer superb diamond dog collar to the bride. Prince Charles of
 
 mond earrings that English women now wear The tenantry and employees or MT. Wilson have presented silver service or fifty pieces. and the Duchess Of Mari- borough contributed gold vase exactiy as tall as the bride-elect.
 The duke himself has given his future wife a modest diamond for an engage ment ring, but his grandmother, at one time the most famous beauty in England, and who by her second marriage, IS now the Duchess of Dovenshire, has made royal gifts to her new granddaughter so, on the whole, says the irreverent wags Of . London, the duke has done quite as well as If he had married an American heiress, and he saved the price of long prospect ing tour in the states.
 Ever since the death of his father gos- sip has been busiy marrying off the wid- dowed duchess, the beautiful Cuban, Con- suela Ygnaza, to every wealthy English or American man who showed her the slight est courtesy. The duchess still clings to her widowed state, however. and since the death of her young daughter in Italy three years ago she has slowly been slip ping from London society. Her abundant golden hair Is fast turning gray, and a painful nervous affection has, since the loss of her child, troubled her greatly. One daughter the twin sister Of the de- butante who perished of Roman fever, lives with the duchess in small and very unfashionable looking home in London, where Americans invariably find kindly welcome, especially if they are artists or musicians struggling for an introduction to or recognition in the great world or London.