The San Francisco call., 1906-09-23

r ONDON, Sept. 22-"E1e who would write about
woman should dip his pen in rainbow dye and
] powder his lines with the gold dust of butter
ster1ies' wings One needs not the French
poets advice, however, to write of the Duchess of
Devonshire Hers is and has been a strenuous life,
a life of action, of doing and daring of poignant
passions.
The Duchess is brilliant woman. She has up
held her place in the highest rank of Englands
nobility with a grace that has endeared her to the
nation She has been Englands foremost hostess
and has given English society pageants and enter
ainments that are historical She is -in-law
or grandmother to round dozen of Britans noblest
families For years she was the intimate friend and
adviser of Queen Alexandra and the stepping-stone
by which many German aristocrat has entered the
sacred portals of London society.
She possesses one weakness-almost fatal weak
ness, Judging by resuts-and that is irrepressibe
mania for gambling. That whose proud
titles decorate SO many pages Of the .Almanach de
Gotha and Burke's Peerage should be known to fame
as the greatest gambler of the day is start
ling. Nevertheless it is true. In the last decade the
Duchess of Devonshire it fairly estimated, has lost
over 100000 in hard cash
Horace Walpole gave the title of Double Ouch
ess' to the beautiful Elizabeth Cunning who married
the sixth Duke of Argyll and years later the
seventh Duke of Hamiltons She was therefore an
ancestress of Lady Mary Hamilton the richest titled
in Britain, whose recent wedding to the
Marquis of Graham has been the event of the present
London season. And, strange say, the Duchess of
Devonshire is Lady Mary's grandmother and is also
nicknamed the Double Duchess When left
widow by the seventh Duke of Manchester she
married the present eighth Duke of Devonshire.
The Double Duchess is just II years of age.
No would believe it, judging by her appearance
or her dongs. She is a German of the few
foreign ladies who, have attained the high and en-
viable rank of leader of English society. Here are
her full and titles: Her Grace the Right Honor
able Louise Frederica Auguste dalton Cavcndish,
Duchess of Devonshre, Marchioness of Harrington,
Countess of Devonshire Countess of Burlington,
Countess dAnhalt of Hanover, Lady Cavendsh of
Hardwicke,. Lady Cavendsh of keighley, Lady of
Grace of St. John of Jerusalem and seventh Duchess
of Manchester. The last title has OF course lapsed
and would not be Of use, as the dukedom of Devon
shire is the ninth in precedence, while that of Man
chester is the nineteenth
Soon after her second marriage the Double
Duchess began to entertain largely. Personages of
the highest degree esteemed it privilege to attend
her parties. House parties at Chatsworth were
graced by the presence of the King and Queen, at
that time Prince and Princess of Wales. The apex
of her fame as leader of society reached by the
Duchess when she gave her memorable fancy dress
ball at Devonshre House 1t was given on the Derby
night in the last year of the reign of Queen Victoria
When the game of bridge whist was introduced
it took London by storm. The whist was soon
dropped, and it became known universally as
bridge" The Duchess quickly became strong
supporter OF the game.
Soon. after the Kings accession and coronation
there the first whisper of scandal in connection
with bridge. The Duchess was giving royal house
party at Chatsworth Before the King and Queen
arrived startling discovery was made. This
was no less fact than that regular
system of signaling to partners was prac-
tced by noble ladies over the bridge
tables. This was of course cheating
The storm at Chatsworth threatened to break
out into national scandal, involving some Of the