The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-13

most perplexing mix-ups in all the
| tangled list Of the British peerage is
| the fact that there are at this time
three living Duchesses of Wellington.
The name is so famous, and the great
| ladies who bear 1T are SO little known
in America-or here either, for that
matter-that I have taken advantage
of rare opportunity to get the photo
graphs of these three titled DANES and
SEINE information about them which
| proves to be of much human interest.
They-are known as Elizabeth, Ouch
ess of Wellington, the widow of the
second Duke of wellington; Evelyn,
Duchess of Wellington, the widow of
the third Duke of Wellington, and the
Duchess of Wellington, wife of the
fourth and present Duke.
Neither of the two first named can
rightly be termed Dowager Duchesses,
/ for neither of them retired in favor of
a sons wife. The present Duchess Of
Wellington Is already a grandmother,
| the child of one her daughters, who
married commoner, Mr.. James; hav-
| ing been christened on February 18th
! Of this year, by permission of the
king, at the Chapel Royal, st. James
Palace, London. Yet the lady who
preceded her in the title is still young
enough to enter the matrimonial lists
again and is engaged to be married to
| Colonel Wellesley.
| The key to the puzzle Is found in
| this queer bit of genealogical history:
The first and great Duke of yelling
| ton-and thus far the only great Duke
Of Wellington-who died In 1852, was
succeeded by the eldest of his two
sons, Arthur Richard Wellesley, who
| was born in 1907 and died in 1884
without issue.
He was succeeded by his nephew,
Henry, the second son of the Iron
Dukes second son, Charles who died
| in 1858. Henry, the third duke, who
1 was born in 1S46, died in 1900, also
| without children, and was succeeded
/ by his brother Arthur, born in 1849,
| who then became the fourth Duke Of
| Wellington.
And thus it comes about that there
| are living three Duchesses of yelling
ton.
/ Elizabeth, Duchess of Wellington,
! widow of the second duke, is a stately
dame whose head is crowned with the
SHOWS of nearly eighty four winters.
At the time of her marriage, which
occurred in 1899, che was Lady Eliza
beth Hay, daughter of the Marquis of
| Tweeddale She was only nineteen
then, a very pretty girl and Of a
sprightly temperament, which found
| vent in some amusing pranks. When
as a bride she was taken to Stratf1-
fieldsaye house Berkshire, the country
seat of the Iron Duke, for the honey
moon, she rather shocked her husband
/ by decorating the historic collection
of marble busts and statues in the hall
| with varied assortment of hats, caps
and -bonnets.
1 Being witty as well as pretty she
was a great society favorite and enter
tanned in brilliant fashion. Among
her guests at Strathfeldsaye on one
/ occasion were Queen Victoria and the
prince censort. The present king and
queen have also visited there. The
Strathfieldsaye house, however, can
hardly be regarded as one of the
stately homes of England, for the Iron
Duke cared very little for frills of any
sort. 1t is built of brick and is big
place, but externally decidedly plain
and unpretentious. 1t contains, how
ever, many valued art treasures.
some unique specimens of furniture, a
highly priced library and historic
souvenirs of its first great occupant.
The OLD duchess was great friend
of Queen Victoria and from 1S43 to
1S48 was bedchamber woman to her
| majesty. In 1861 she became mistress
of the robes, holding that office until
1868 and filling it again in 1874. After
the death of the queen the king pre-
scented her with one of his mothers
| bracelets which the old lady prizes
i highly as souvenir of her royal mis-
| tress. On the death of her husband in
1884 she took UP her residence al
Bearhill Park, Walton On Thames,
| where she still lives, having long age
! withdrawn from the social whirl.
Evelyn, Duchess of Wellington, is
the youngest daughter of the late Col
Thomas Peer Williams, of Temple
House, Buckinghamshire and is still
a Very pretty woman. She married
the third duke in 1882 and has been a
widow less than four years. She is
deyout Catholic and has never taken q
prominent part in social functions
sharing her husbands fondneSS for the
the quiet and innocuous pleasures OF
a country life. This third duke, IL
!, physiognony and tastes, bore very lit
tie resemblance to the martial founder
of the house. He looked so much IKE
, | Spurgeon, the famous preacher. who
/ ! was anything but a handsome man
that that name was bestowed on hin
as nickname.
= The favorite hobbies of this duchess
are animal pets. and china and clay