The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-24
A DUKE AND AN AMERICAN.
They Met ut an Afternoon Tea and his
Highncss transformations.

ivy .'ict ~ IN AFTERNOON Tea and his
Highncss wasLoquncious.
London correspondence in St. Louis
Globe Dmocrat: In spite OF the many
rather Questionable things he has done,
the Duke OF Manchester Is more or less
interesting. He always seems such a
kld-excuse the slang; 1t is The only
word that describes hlm-perhaps be-
cause he Is half American. He came of
age few months ago, but hardly looks
his twenty-one years, and certainly
does not act them. The first time l
saw him l was quite in ignorance of
who he Twas. and the casual sort OF in
PRODUCTION which is the London fashion
did not enliEhten me as to the Identity
Of the younGster, who,wlth n very pref
~ gil and her brother. had come In for
tea.
The pretty girl seemed to take n deep
interest in his digestion and told him
he could not have any more orange
marnalade. Thereupon he addressed
himself to the present writer, because
he liked Americans" ! said that he
seemed something like one himself, but
that there were SO many kinds OF AM
orleans, that one could never be sure.
You would never make any mistake
as to my mothr." he said. "She never
Will get over her Yankee way of talk
ing. The other day she said that a man
she knew was SO stupid that he could
not see joke unless he laid right
'daown' on the floor to do it."
What part OF the United States did
she come fronl?' I asked.
New York. You know she was
Miss Yznaga," he said.
Then You must be. let's see you
must be the Duke Of Manchester. 1
think" I said. and he. looking rather
injured. said:
"Of course. I am. Didn't you know
it,"
thought OF number Of things I
might say In answer to this. and have
thought OF lot more since: but the
young man showed one. American trait
by not waiting for reply. but plung-
ling off into an account 10 every one
who chose to listen. OF how he gave a
party.
1t was TO the effect that his grand
fathers widow (who, he explained spe-
clallg for my benefit. think. had mar
ried duke for her second husband as
well as for her first had given a ball
AS the "graadfather's widow" in ques-
ton was the present Duchess of Dew
onshre. and the ball the famous fancy
dress ball at the Devonshire house, OF
which two continents were talking,
felt that this piece OF Information was
intended as a rebuke for my not hav-
Ing known instIlctively who the
graadfathers widows grandson was.
and took it with my customary meek
ness.
The story went on TO say that al
though he. the grandson. was Invited.
he concluded not TO 60. he was sure 1t
would be dull. So he gave ball of his
own on the same night. he said. al n
hotel near DevonShirc House. In my
patent, adjustable, American ignorance
I asked, But whom could you invite?
Every one was already asked to Devon
shire House. and l don't see whom you
could get TO come to your party"
There was Il fine full grown pause,
and His Grace OF Manchester looked n
bit sheepish. and said something about
lots OF pretty women tina. he knew. and
that they all came. and that the fellows
would fly over from Dcvoashire House
for bit, and have jolly good time.
and then fly back again. and have 4
deuced dull time: so. after all. the two
affairs both came off all right. Then
there was another pause. and some one
asked the teller of the story II he was
not afraid that his grandfa:her's widow
would set to hear OF the rival ball he
had given-at which he was tremen-
dously amused. and said that every
body did know It already. and thought
1t no end OF joke. Then he reverted to
the subject OF his mother aIdher AM
cricanism. launched principally, l
think. II the only American present.
The obvious thing to do was TO regard
the matter impersonally and assume
the position of one American woman
defending another American w9man
though. 10 be frank. | do not at all sup
pose that the DowaEe" Duchess OF
Manchester. born Yznaga. either is or
regards herself as OF the United States
But It served its purpose; the little
Duke abandoned the field. saying TO
the pretty girl that II she wouldn't let
him eat marmalade, and ! wouldn't let
him criticisc his own mother II was
time for him 10 go. and he did. Taking
him all In all, acting aud the rest. feel
free TO regard him as rather an ANA
| tcur.