Arizona republican., 1899-04-06
FOREIGN NOTES
AND COMMENT


dence by it's titled owner, for the new
Duke of Northumberland, who succeed
ed shortly before Christmas to his
. fathers title and estates, has an
nounced that on the ground of econ
Omy he will close up Alnwick Castle
and divide his time between Asbury
Park. near Guilford, and Syon House,
|, BIentford
Next to Windsor Castle Alnwick is
the gnandsst residential castle sin the
United Kingdom, it's battlemented
walls being almost a mile in circum-
ference. Probably the most pictur-
esque description of this ancestral
home of the Percys is to be found i'll
Beaconsf1eld's novel, "Fancred"
1t is only in England that it is pos
sible to find such thing as father and
son competing against each other as
gentlemen riders in a steeplechase.
This is what took place the other day
at Candown, where Sir Claude de Ores
pigny rode one horse and his son, an
officer of the Life Guards, another the
son coming terrific cropper over one
of the obstacles and breaking his arm
Sir Claude may be described as the
veteran gentleman rider in England,
and is one of those Britons who may
be said to have done everything and
been everywhere in their day. He
served both in the army and navy,
acted as war correspondent to a great
London daily, SWAN across the English
channel to France and crossed the
same strip of sea by balloon
He holds medals for saving life from
drowning, is the champion amateur
boxer in the United Kingdom, has
achieved fame as an explorer, as well
as fine shot in the pursuit of big
game, and last, but not least. when
high sheriff of his county, took his re-
sponsibilities SO seriously to heart that
he insisted upon being present on the
scaffold to personally supervise the
hanging of a murderer sentenced to
capital punishment by the assizes of
his county. He is the most intimate
friend of Lord Queensberry
Talking of Lord Queensberry, note
that his nephew, George Dixie, is about
to marry a daughter of the colossally
wealthy Sir Alexander Jardine, who ac-
quired such an immense fortune in the
China trade.
George is the son of that Lady Flor
ence Dixie, sister of Lord Queensberry,
who until about eight years ago was
perpetually before the public in con-
necIion with one eccentricity or an
other.
The last time I heard of her she had
just accepted the presidency of a
ladies' foot pail club which she de- !
clared to be the ideal exercise for
woman.
I recall seeing her on one occasion |
playing cricket She was put in to /
bowl, and it was evident that the man
at the wicket was ignorant of her
proves, for he looked very patroniz-
ing and indulgent as he placed himself
in position to bat.
The very first ball, however, sent his
middle stump flying yards away and
his face was 4 pict Ire. He just looked
with amaZement at the hole in the
ground from which the stump had
been bowled. And yet he was a crack
player.
When her turn for innings care she
was not caught out until she had made
a big score. In those days she was a
splendid runner and could sprint miles
without becoming winGed.
Lady Florence is not unknown in
this country, and has a couple of big
grizzly bears, shot in the Rocky noun
tains, to her credit. She has likewise
killed big game in India and Africa,
and was also the life and soul of an ex-
ploring expedition in Patagonia, where
she met with some very perilous ad-
ventures.
believe she is the only white wo-
man who has ever attempted to ex-
plore that barbarouS and almost en-
tirely unknown quarta5" of South Amer
lea. Her reason for going to Patagonia
was, according to her own account, be
cause it was an "Cutlandish place"
and she was "sick to death of civiliza-
ton" Her party consisted of her
brothers, Lord Queensb cry and Lord
James Douglas, the latt 5r subsequently,
committing suicide.
Lady Florence, although the wife of
a baronet and the sister of a peer, is
net in good odor at court, and is not
permitted to attend drawing rooms or
state entertainments. She accounts for {
This ill-wi;l and rigor on the part of /
he queen by attributing it to a quarrel /
which she had with the lord chamber Y
aims officials at Buckingham palace, {
when she attempted to enter the royal t
presence at drawing room without the
Gathers and veil which are de rigue15r. f
That is her side of the story. il
There are others who ascribe the t
lueen's iil-will toward her to the ex- I
raordinary showing which both her c
husband, Sir Beaumont, and herself c
made as witnesses in a very celebrated q
liVorce suit
subsequently the queen relented suf- t
iciently toward Lady Florence to make Il
inquiries after her health at the time \
II the sensational attack to which g
lady Florence claimed she had been c
in the gardens of her coun- q
ry house, The Fishery on the Thames, t
lear Windsor. e
Lady Florence, who had just pre- Il
-iously been distinguishing herself by
er attacks on the home rule movement b
nd by her exposure of the methods of S
he land league and of the various II
associations in Ireland D
laimed that she had been suddenly at Il
acked at dusk by two strangers, who A
tempted to strange hsr, and Were
My driven to fight by her great New
0uDd1aud d0g