The San Francisco call., 1906-05-05
GIVES HIS LOVE
TO W|FE'S CHUM
Tragedy in House of
an English No
bl6mdn.
Rich Duke False to
His Beautiful
Spouse.

LONDON, May 4-Society here is
al agog over a domestic tragedy of
almost unparalleled interest that is
now being enacted in a famous ducal
household and every one is waiting
breathlessly to see what the next act
will bring forth The leading char
acters" are the Duke, who is one of
the wealthiest and most aristocratic
personages in England; his Duchess
and another woman-young, popular
and uncOmmonly good to look upon
according to English notions-and
what makes the case especially pa
thetic is that the last mentioned lady,
who is said TO possess his Grace's
ardent affection, was for years known
as his wife's best friend. She was
continuously and laVishly entertained
in the Duchess various houses and
moreover has been asked, each year,
20 meet the King and Queen when
their Majesties visited the Dukes Lon
don home at the height Of each sea-
son.
ful woman Of her time and the most
powerful; the friend of royalty and
one who bewitched all who came un-
der her spell, is now struggling day
and night to live. She is fighting
fell disease which in spite Of the su-
perlatiTe efforts of science, is eating
away her life. Meanwhile she knows
full well that when she breathes her
last the Duke will, within a respect
able limit Of time, lead her rival to
the altar.
SECRET is OUT.
People have for years wondered
why this beauty never married, and
at last the secret is "out" His Grace's
nephew has always been regarded as
the heir to the dukedom and the i'm
mense estates, and is naturally great
ly perturbed at the problem which
now faces him. 1t is evident that
Americans do not see beauty through
the same glasses as the English, for
some time ago, when the Duehess-to-
be visited America with her brother
, she did not appeal in the least to the
American instinct and was described
as "swarthy" and as having an inclin-
alton to a mustache.
Frederick Whitridge is to be the
guest Of the Whitelaw Reids when he
arrives In London on his way to
Spain to act as special ambassador
at the marriage Of King Alfonso. 1t
would have been difficult to have
found a more imposing representative.
Mr. Whitridge's tall, commanding
presence will claim attention even in
that gathering Of royalties and gran
dees. The late Queen Victoria, who
had a great eye for physical advan-
tages in mankind, said he was one of
the most striking men she had ever
seen.
Mrs. Frank Avery will receive many
congratulations from here on her en-
gagement to Howard Willetts Of New
York We all have the pleasantest
memories OF her and her absolutely
unique parties. There have been
many daring and original American
hostesses from time to time In London,
but never any one who could approach
Mrs. Frank Avery for what many peo-
pie called sheer outlandishness. For
weeks all London talked about a
party she gave at her house in Gros-
venor square during the season OF
1903. Il was the first time London
society was introduced to the cake
walk, and London society, which
knows how to appreciate originality,
though It possesses little Of the char
acteristic itself, clapped its hands and
promptly learned the new dance
TAKING REST CURE.
Several well-known women spent
the Easter holidays taking rest"
cures preparatory to the opening OF
the season proper, which begins in
earnest after Easter. Lady Essex is a
great believer IN rest as beauther,
and so is Lady Cooper and Mrs. Adair,
who for the present has to live as
much as possible IN dark rooms, owing
70 her eyes, which are still giving her
some trouble. The majority OF peo-
b. pie prefer to take their rest" cures
in their own houses. In this way they
avoid the tyranny of life in nursing
home and the bullying of the nurses.
The latest idea is TO place a mask
over the face during the weeks the
cure is In process. This has a marvel
lous effect on the skin, which emerges
from II as soft and delicate as
baby's. All the while, different emol-
lients are applied and massage is also
IL. reouisition, but by far the most i'm
portant feature IN the programme is
the mask, which is usually of soft silk
with holes for the eyes and nostrils.
The patient wisely keeps all doors
Iao5svo RI bpr aDarfmQnts hermeticallV