Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-12-19
Boyhood of the Duke.

$175, 100000.
Boyhood of the Duke.
Hugh Lupus Grosvenor began life as
the second son of the second Marquis Of
Grosvenor and lord lieutenant of Che
shire. Sir Hugh, by reason Of the death
of an elder brother in infancy and the
dying of his father in 1869, succeeded to
the title and the family possessions. His
elevation to the dukedom took place early
in 1874. He has many military and 9th
er honorary titles. and was master of
the horse from 1880 to 1885. The Gros-
venOr family finds its origin $50 years
prior to the Norman conquest. The first
of the name in England, Gilbert lie eros
Vencur, came in the train of William
the Conqueror.
The GrOsvenOrs have ever been a
thrifty folk, and not a marriage has been
made in the entire line that has not add
ed to the family wealth. The vast bust
ness properties and market places the
duke owns in London are built up on an
immense farm which one of his ancestors
bought in the Sixteenth century. II has
been part of the city for $50 years. Eaton
Hall, the country seat, became a family
possession in the time of Henry VI. by
the marriage of Sir Ralph Grosvenor and
Joan, only daughter of Sir John Elton de
Elton. The collections of paintings and
sculpture at Eaton are priceless. The IL
brary has 10000 volumes. The heir to
all this wealth and magnifcence is Hugh
Richard Arthur, Earl Grosvenor. He
was born in 1869, the oldest son of Vie
tor Alexander, first son of the Duke of
Westminster, for whom Queen Victoria
III person stood sponsor.
The Dukes Popularity.
The Duke Of Westminster is beloved
by his tenantry and admired by people
of all classes whether they are his de-
pendants or otherwise. His popularity
was not gained in politics or in diplo-
macy, but from association. His hoSpi-
tality is boundless and his many ances-
tral seats are. always filled with guests
The fire is alight the year round. 1t is
in the hunting field that his grace finds
greatest joy. He is a true sportsman.
and is careless whether farmers or
princes accompany him in the chase. 1t
is the game he seeks, not society. He is
the best judge of a horse in the United
Kingdom, and is not wholly theoretical IN
his information. He can fit a racing
plate to a horses foot with the skill of a
master smith. His horses are the pride
of his life.
Duke Took the Tip.
In discussing the democratic yavs of
the duke Englshmen relate the story of
a stranger who desired to see the art
treasures Of Eaton hail. He met an
elderly man walking about the grounds,
and from his dress, which was a semi
hunting costume and not too new,
thought the man to be retainer of the
duke. The stranger asked the man to
show him about the place. which the per-
son did. pointing out explaining and elu-
cidating with great patience The guide
listened to the visitors comments on the
duke and the family with interest and
received with thanks a half sovereign to
requite him for the trouble. The follow
ing day the visitor rode out to the hunt
and in the master of the hounds, who
was also the lord lieutenant Of the coun-
ty and Duke Of Westminster, he recog-
nized his guide of the day before 1t is
explained by the enthusiastic fellow
countrymen of the duke that the reason
the great man did not decline the tip
given him by the visitor was his fear of
disconcerting the stranger. 1t would
have been so utterly out of character for
an English servant to decline money that
the peer would have been obliged to dis
close his identity to explain his refusal.