The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-24
CHAUFFEUR IS NOW HERO OF
MANY ROMANTIC TRAGEDIES
More Dangerous to Susceptible Young Women Than
Coachman Whom He Displaced
Special Foreign Service

Special Foreign Service
LONDON, July 23.-In fashionable
circles, where susceptible heiresses and
emotional young matrons abound, the
chauffeur is fast coming to be regarded
as more dangerous to society than the
vehicle which he controls, despite the
fact that one paper has dubbed it the
murder car" Hardly a week passes
by in which he does not figure in some
tragic romance. Only few days ago
two chauffeurs were cited in a divorce
case which revealed blighted home
and an honored name besmirched.
About the same time a pretty debutante
was found drowned in a lake A let
ter which she had left explaining her
reasons for committing suicide was de-
Stroyed by her guardian that its con-
tents might not be made public But,
as is we'll known among friends of the
family, she stated in this epistle that
she had fallen in love with the chauf-
feur and no longer had the courage
to face life, having discovered that he
was not only married man with
children, but, after winning her affec-
tons he had been base enough to show
the letters she had written him to
other servants of the household
The London smart set is eagerly
awaiting developments in the case of
Miss Baldock, to which l referred in
previous letter, who still stubbornly
clings to her determination to marry
her handsome young chauffeur. She
only recently passed her tWenty-f1
birthday and has an income of So 900
year, with expectations, bound to be
realized if she lives, of inheriting an
additional $4,000 a year. This may
perhaps account for the fact that the
larar i i
the girls father of $4,000 cash down
to call the match off and exile himself
until the young girl has outgrown her
infatuatlOn for him. He will come OF
age in September, and the girl has So
far yielded to strenuous persuasion as
to consent to the pOStponement of the
marriage until October, but stoutly
protests that she will make no further
concessions to her parents feelings.
The father has issued his ultimatum to
the effect that the day she leaves her
home to become the bride of the chauf-
feur it's doors will be closed against
her forever and he will never see her
again. The anguished mothers plead
ings have proved futile to move either
of them.
Now that every family influence that
could be brought to bear upon the girl
to induce her to change her mind has
been tried and failed, common sense
friends are suggesting to her parents
that they should make the best of the
matter. ..She is bound to marry the
chauffeur and you cannot prevent her"
they say. But you could no doubt get
Der to consent to the stipulation that
she take him abroad for two or three
years and have him educated there
and trained in the usages Of polite So
ciety. People have short memories in
London, and well-dreSSed and well-be-
haved, with handsome face and fig
ure, he will experience no difficulty in
being received in society, especially If
he spends money freely
But the stern father will not agree
to any such compromise. Though the
proposition is a novel one, as far as
dealings with husband is concerned,
it has it's counterpart in several in
stances that could be cited in which
men have married pretty girls in hum
BILE circumstances, sent them abroad
and put them in the hands of society
polishers, with such excellent results
that on their return they have been
able to take their places alongside nf
their husbands and make no bad breaks
that would betray their lowly origin.
A striking recognition of the dan
gers involved in bringing a chauffeur
into the household is afforded by an
advertisement for motor-car driver
which recently appeared in which it
was stated only plain looking men
need apply" Time was when, among
the servants. coachmen had far the best
opportunities for capturing romantic
actresses and that they had not failed
to make the most of their chances nu-
merous society scandals attest. But
now the chauffeur is distinctly ahead
of the Jehu in playing this sort of game