The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-20

NEW YORK, Sept. 19.-Still another
American duchess will be added to the
brilliant group comprising the dowager
duchess of Manchester, the present
duchess of the same title, and Duchess
of Marlborough when Miss May Goelet
early in November becomes the bride
of Henry John Innes Ker, eighth duke
of Roxburghe. And the newest duchess.
even In greater degree than several
of the rest, has known from her first
Introduction to society the most Drill
liant phases of the world here and
abroad.
CuriousIy enough, Miss Goelet made
her tentative bow to society, as 1t were,
at the wedding of her Intimate friend,
Consuelo Vanderbilt, to the Duke of
Marlborough in November, 1895. The
youthful heireSS attracted attention
then, although it was not predicted
that she would also wear the straw
berry leaf some day.
May Goelets life has always been
that of twentieth-century fairy
princess, who in her present incarna-
ton is the daughter of the very rich
American She has all the pleasures
that any princess of the bluest blood
and the richest properties can enjoy,
and she has also freedom, which the
other princesses may not have, how
ever closely the lives of American girls
may De mOQeled nov aIler lnOSe OIL the
titled women of Europe.
Miss Goelet, born to wealth and po-
sition, was brought UP here among her
nurses and governesses. Her younger
brother and she are the only children
of the late Ogden Goelet. When she
was only five years old she went abroad
with a retinue of Wallets. maids and
companions such as Americans who
travel much abroad had already begun
to carry about with them.
That was twenty years ago. Before
that time-in 1SS0-her father, who
had always been devoted to yachting,
joined the New York Yacht club and
built the Norseman. So the youthful
Miss Goelet began to taste the luxury
of yachting at a tender age. Her life
then comprised the frequent Journeys
to Europe, where her father delighted
to stay; sojourns at Newport in HIS
palace there, and periods of home life
in the city house at 500 Fifth avenue.
During these years she was preparing
herself for such a high social destiny
as the world said was inevitable.
Her mother was Wilson, one Of the
daughters of r. T. Wilson, who came
to New York with no large acquaint-
ance in the early '70s and saw hisvold-
est daughter, Mary, become the wife of
the immensely rich Ogden Goelet in
1877, his second daughter, Belle, mar
ry the present British ambassador
here, Sir Michael Henry Herbert, in
1888. and his youngest daughter,
Grace, become, in 1896, the wife of Cor
nelius Vanderbilt.
Miss Goelet was not born Wilson
for nothing. So those who saw the
dark eyed petite bridesmaid at the
Marlborough wedding knew that al
though she was then only seventeen her
future Eas to be socially brilliant, even
though they did not suspect that she
was to be the bride of so desirable
duke as RoXburghe.
Not Hunting Duke.
Some dukes have come to this coun-
try with nothing more than their til
ties to recommend them. But that
was not the sort of a duke for Miss
Goelet. yseo eve
With her French teachers and her
music teachers, her riding teachers and
her companion, she grew up to wom-
anhood secluded in her home as all
girls of her social position are nova
days, with only the society of a few
girl friends, who took part in some of
her studies. There was. of course,
nothing like school for this little fairy
princess of New York, Newport, Lon
don. Homburg and the Riviera
Two years after the Marlborough
wedding Ogden Goelet, always deli
cate. fell i'll and died on his yatcht at
Cowes and Miss GoeIet's social career
came temporarily to an end, after a
brief while in which she had enjoyed
the best that this country and England
have to offer the devotees of society.
During the last few years of his life
her father had begun to take a great
interest in English society and passed
quite as much time in London as he
did in his own land. His career in
England was the most brilliant social
ly that any American had known, al
though it was pfobably eclipsed this
summer by the triumphaI progress of
his relatives by marriage, Mr.. and
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, on the
North Star.
Mr.. Goelet's social success in Europe
was aided greatly by his wifes charm.
The most tightly closed doors were
opened to the family. Mr.. Goelet had
offered an international cup for yacht
racing in the Mediterranean, which in
1884 was won at Cannes by the Prince
OF Wales cutter. Britannia. He enter
tanned the prince later on his charter