New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-20
SUTHERLAND'S DUCHESS.
Il Peeress Who Is as Popular in
WhitechapeI as She Is in Magfair.

strawberry-eaf coronet. Some twenty years have
elapsed since the duke. who that time still bore
lhe ute OF the Marquis OF Stafford. attended din
her party given by Lady Rosslyn in honor of her
eldest daughter. Lady Warwick At the last mo-
ment 1t was found that. owing to the unavoidable
absence OF one of the guests there would be thir
teen at the table. Horrifed at the idea the count
ess immediately summoned her daughter Lady
hnlhcent, who was barely sixteen years OF age
from the schooroom in order to take the vacant
place. Alone OF all those present she not zen
grahde toilette" No time had even been given her
to brush her curly hair before she FASTENED
down from the schoolroon where she was enjoying
romp with her little sisters. Yet such an attrac-
tive picture did she present that her neghbor at
| table Lord Stafford straightway fell in love with
her. and asked her hand In marriage few weeks
| later The wedding took place the afternoon OF
her seventeenth birthday. and she may be said to
| have gone direct from the scheolroom to the altar
The circumstances Of the marriage. as well as her
charming personality, took London society. cynical
and critical it appears, completely by storm. and
| without any apparent effort her part she has
succeeded in obtaining the goodwill of Mayfair.
! well as OF WhItechapel- For she is very popular
| In the latter quarter OF London. for which she
! serves her most beautiful dresses. They like
| pretty things," she remarked In speaking of
| her proteges in the East of London slums. "and
! think 1t natural you should them. The wag
| Of the evening class at the Shaftesbury Ragged
School may have a joke at the expense OF your
new hat or at the sparkle of your rings; but don't
| These Ragged Schools are at the further end of
| Hish-st WhitechapeI one of the viest thorough
! fares in London. and yet at least one night
week. and sometimes oftener the duchess when in
| town wends her way thther. and may be found
| seated in a hall furnished with grImy wooden
benches, among a crowd OF young girls who have
spent the day cutting card boxes. brading. shirt
making in sweatshops FASTING pill boxes. Cen
orally she has a basket OF roses with her. which
she distributes among the girls. and what woman
| is there who does not love a flower?
The nrst hour generally passes in conversation.
and the duchess receives condolences and imparts
them. listens with kindly interest to everything
that may be said to her and comforts her pupils
in all those troubles which throw dark shadow
on the lives OF the poor.
This is age OF sentimental Christianity. is
the fashion to be good and to discuss the eleva-
ton Of the masses. But few women courted and
so universally popular the Duchess of Suthe--
land find time In the tear and rush OF a crowded
London TO devote two three nights
week TO chatting with and teaching poor factory
girls and ragged street urohins in the foulest
slums of the East End. It is much Bible
reading that the duchess does when she goes down
there. but story telling and conversation. She
deavors to talk to them OF brighter which
open new vista before them and bring cheering
smile TO these toilers of the great metropolis and
each summer she sees that her proteges are sent
into the country for a holiday.
How grateful they TO her may be gathered
from the following characteristic little anecdote II
seems that one day when she happened to be cross
ing Piccadilly. the Circus. she followed
by a well dressed, rakish looking Individual who
not only spoke to her. but even endeavorcd to
force upon her attentions obviously obnoxious The
look OF distress her face caught the eye Of a
tousle-headed. ragged-trousered. barefocted little
crossing sweeper
'Scuse me- lady" exclaimed hs. but shall
punch rs 'ead?'
She turned. looked down ct the little fellow with
an angry eye and then. recognizing him. smiled
why. it's Jimmie" She had remembered his
name. and from that moment the lad was hers
body and soul her devoted champion. Without
waiting for another word he dashed of and turned
species Of violent cartwheela adroy calculated
that he landed with very muddy bare feet and
with excessive vioierc, right In tire middle OF the
white waistcoat OF the lndi gidual who had been
annoying the duchess. Had II not been for Iron
railing the would have fallen. partly from
shock and partly from establishment Before he
had time to recover from his surprise the boy had
slapped him with muddy hand across the mouth
and with the other deposited a handful OF the
filthy compound down the back OF his neck and
his collar The minute the crossing
sweeper seized from behind. and found himself
in the grasp Of a policeman.
Hauled of to the nearest station. he was being
charged by the constable with having committed an
assault when the duchess entered. and after speak
Ing kindly to the boy addressed the inspector on
duty. mentioned her name. and briefly explained
the affair. At her request the boy Immediately
liberated. and departed with Il gold sovereign in
MS nanQ. but not betoTe ne mad volunteered the
Information to the Inspector that ITS the lody
what nursed when the cab over me leg"
Nor is her benevolence confined tho METROPOLIS
She originated the popular Sutherland Sale
In London for the disposal Of articles made by the
poorer classes in the districts around the many
country Of her husband. The so-caed sale IS
a kind OF fancy fair held at Sutherland House. her
London residence. and at her command the jeu-
nesse doree of the metropolis with whom she is
immensely popular. lay in every season a supply of
homespun tweeds. woollen stockings and other
fabrics of the same kind OF unprecedented nnagni-
tude.
This is far being the first Of the Ouch
to this country. with which she first became ac-
quanted her trip around the world which she
described In a singularly graphic and pleasing vol
une. entitled How I Spent My Twentieth Year"
published by Blackwood. She subsequently re-
turned here. and, Lady Stafford, spent winter
in the Rocky Mountains. while her husband and a
party OF congeniaI friends were endeavoring
cure the skins of grizzly bears.
In many phases OF character she resembles her
half sister Lady Warwick. Both extremely
talented and exceptionally attractive. with the
difference that the comelness Of the duchess is OF
a softer nature than that of Lady Warwick. The
lines OF the duchesss face less regular and less
than those of the countess but it is perhaps
Just that which renders her much more at
tractive to many people AS 1t is with the feat
ures so it with the characters OF the sisters.
That of the younger is gentle and while
equally unconventional and Independent in her
speech her behavior and her toilet yet marked
individuality is of less aggressive character than
that OF Lady Warwick. In conclusion II may be
said that her husband is the greatest landed pro-
prietor and the OF the superb residence
IN London
Ensland's House of Lords has Just been de-
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