The San Francisco call., 1906-05-21
TOYS Of BABE
AMUSE NOBLE
Aged English Nobleman
Plays With Set OF
Blocks.
Takes Widow as Bride
Because He Was
Lonesome. Z"

SPECIAL. DISPATCH TO THE CALL.
LONDON. May 20.-It is only the
unexpected that happens. Nobody
imagined that after being a widower
for over thirty years the septuagenar-
fan Earl Of Mount Edgecumbe would
marry again. And naturally, therefore
ne has Just gone and done il. He has
married his cousin, Lady Ravensworth,
whose first husband, the Earl Of Ra-
vensworth, died two years ago. She
IS only a few years the Earl OF Mount
E5gecumbes Junior. The marriage
was a private one. At the Earps re-
quest, his tenants refrained from max
ing any demonstration when he
brought lis bride home. In a pub
lisned letter addressed 20 them be
sayH that he married again because
he 1est lonesome, and int1mates that
Il was the same feeling wfIoh induced
his wife 70 venture on . second hus-
bard
rne Earl is now "a has seventy-
fourth year. At such al age the ao-
tive outdoor life Of youth " practi-
cslly impossible, so the Fart, when he
cannot get out, amuses himself in
doors with a very elaborate box Of
bricks. Luczily he was born with a
~d6Sc 4OI e1Cu1ICCbuIoR anu ne DullQ&
quite ambitious palaces on the draw
ing-roosn table with these opportune
toys. During a recent illness he quite
surpassed himself IN the magnihcence
q TIE building he turned out, and to
complete the work he had II illumin-
ated with electric lights for the deiso-
tas4or OF his visitors
PRiNcELT DOMAIN.
Mount Edgecuube Is the most
prtncely domain IN the west OF Eng
land Il is approached by an impos-
Ing glade, reminiscent OF Saxon times,
and or eli sides are unduiations. zig
gag laurel walks. hooks and grottoes
with peeps at the broad expanse Of the
Channel, the bleak Staddon Heights
the crowded Plymouth Sound. and the
stil more crowded Hamoaze-a riot
of blossoming vegetation ana stately
avenues and stretches OF park land
above. the gIittSrine waters studded
with vhite-sailed yachts, brown-sailed
fishing smAcl1s, steamers and the grim
monsters OF the royal navy. No other
demesne IN the kingdom enjoys such
delightful contrasts Of scenery, sea-
river ana sylvan beauty. The house
IS a massive Quadrangular structure,
built n the days Of Queen Mary, but
the park was inclosed by royal license
by Sir Piers Edgecumbe. who was
knighted by Henry VII IN 1899. The
orange trees Of the Italian garden
some OF them over $50 years old-are
p-05ably the finest in England and
superior even TO those in the Jardins
Ces Tuileries.
HAS ITS GHOST STORY.
Mount Edgecumbe. OF course, has its
ah~st story. and an exceptionally good
one * is. A former lady Of Edge
cUmbe was buried IN a trance in an
old chapel IN the grounds. A butler
OF Tie hail. avariciOus for the gold
ring oC her fingers, made q midnight
ve toe tomb. He was cutting off
her f-eers when she rose IN her cof-
Ir be blood dripping on her white
shrO-d ana the butler ned. Mad with
terrier. he flung himself over the cliff
10 Instant death, and his ghost, 1t is
SAID, haunts the scene 10 this day. But
The lady. like the lady Rohesia,
mended space, and lived for many
years. A son was born to her, from
whom the present Earl Is descended.
There IS no man more generally es-
teemed in the Wezt country. Such a
model young man wss he in his earlier
days that he was chosen as the COM
panion OF the present King, when. as
Prince OF Wales, he was released from
parental control Many members Of
the family have figured IN their coun-
try's history since days when William
Edgecunbe IN 1853 bought a wife for
forty shHiin gs"-the sum fixed by the
Black Prince for the marriage OF Hill
larsa de Cothell-to those OF the Sir
Richard who was Queen Elizabetirs
Sheriff Of Devon and builder Of Mount
Bdgecunlbe. II may interest A1neri-
can heiresses 10 know that the heir to
the magnificent estate, V1scount Val
lentort. though 81 years old, is still q
bachelor.