The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-25
Lady Curzon's Life in India
Her Grace and Tact Won Admiration for American
Work for Zenana Women.
Work for Zenana Wome

NOW ana tnen, q rev times IN y
generation, perhaps. there is born into
the world a person whose life when i,
is finished reads like fairy tale, an6
one of these fortunate few was Mary
Letter. That an American girl should
become Lady Curzon of Kedleston. had
nothing in it to appeal particularly to
the imagination, but that girl should
be transported from the murky streets
of Chicago. Illinois, to the position Of
Vicereine of India, central figure OF
dignities and ceremonies the accounts
of which are like stories in the cara
bian Nights" indeed, is thing
to touch the fancy. And yet the true
story of Mary Letters life is not all
one of splendor and enjoyment. Back
of her dazzling successes lay unlimited
hard work.
Fate did endow her rather remark
ably in the beginning. She had good
looks-one of the most critical of
English papers pronounced her, at the
time of her coming there as bride,
almost, if not quite. beautiful" She
had naturally such charm and dignity,
such level head. such attributes of
mind, that even in her girlhood great
things were predicted for Mary Letter.
She had great wealth, or the unques-
toned use of her fathers wealth, and
as his eldest daughter she enjoyed that
freedom of action and position of i'm
portance in the home which in no
other land may girl attain.
Those magnificent entertainments
which the Letters gave after they
moved to Washington and took poses
sion of the Blaine mansion-those
were all planned and carried through
by Mary Letter. When the new Letter
mansion was built it was the suite of
rooms designed for Miss Letters use
that received most prominence in the
newspaper accounts. She had quickly
become one Of the most distinguished
bellies in Washington, and not on ac-
count of her fathers wealth, though
that helped. 1t was her natural gifts,
developed by travel, and perhaps also
her innate sweetness and goodness.
People who knew both her and Mrs.
Grover Cleveland, who had come to
the White house as bride not long
before Miss Letters Washington debut,
and who was her friend and social
sponsor. say that the two were much
alike in their way of doing little, tact
full, graceful things, the kind of things
that show real generosity of nature.
Pretty stories are told of the many
little acts by which Miss Letter
smoothed the social path for girls less
fortunately lowered than she.
1t was after Miss Letter married
Mr.. Curzon and went to England that
her real work began. He was prom
Using politician, and his wife set her
self to do what an American girl of
wealth and charm and spirit can do
to help her husband on to fame. She
spent her honeymoon in the excite
ment of the Southport election, work
Ing for votes as Lady Randolph
Churchill had worked for her hus-
bands election few years before. II
was said that her smiles and appeals
helped not little toward her hus.
bands election to parliament.
But 1t was after she left England to
become Vicereine of India that the
fairy tale of her life began. and also
the work for which her life counted
Some American accounts said "Mary
Letter would now rule over more sub.
jects than Queen Victoria" She didn't
do that, certainly, but she sailed away
from England to a position of high
power and honor. Everywhere in the
streets of Calcutta, on her arrival
there with her husband and her two
tiny daughters, the stars and stripes
waved beside the British flag, in honor
of the American girl.
When people thought of Mary Letter
in India they thought of her as riding
on great elephants under splendid
canopies; receiving native potentates
with viceregal magnificence; being re.
ceived by them, in turn, and becom.
ing the central figure in all kinds Of
quaint ceremonials; going on exciting
tiger hunts into the jungles. All these
things she did. She accompanied the
Viceroy on his tiger shooting expedi.