Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-05-15

pOlOu6u. 1OIIOW1uS TIE unhappy uotel-
opments in her matrimonial venture
with the titled Englishman, will CON-
mend itself to right-minded people of
the world, especially to those in Amer
lea who have followed with peculiar in
terest the fortunes of the former Con-
suelo Vanderbilt. Instead of giving
way to morose despair because the
glitter of dukedom in England has
been found to be hollow mockery, or
seeking to forget her sorrow and hui
initiation in the pursuit of gay, thought
less pleasure, the duchess of Marl
borough has with true womanly grace
worthy an American girl thrown her
activities and her fortune into a mis-
sion whose object is the lettering of
the lives of the women and children of
imprisoned criminals. She has just
completed her plans for carry ON this
unique charity on big scale, and she
has done it all in such a quiet and un-
ostentatious way that the facts have
but just become known. Some Ameri-
can papers have inaccurately stated
that the duchess had joined the direc-
torate of the Church army. She has
not done so, neither will she work in
its ranks, but proposes to carry on her
worthy charity on independent lines.
This new benevolent enterprise of
the duchess takes the form of a home
In London for women and children of
3 special and previously almost neg
lected class. They are the wives and
children of imprisoned criminals--in-
nocent sufferers for the nisdeeds of
husbands and fathers-and to make a
home for them, or at least some Of
them, the duchess of Marlborough has
just taken FL years lease of a roomy
building in Endsleigh street, St. Pan
cras. This is being reconstructed en-
tirely by her orders, and negotiations
are in progress for the use of two
buildings on either side. When all
these have been opened, and time has
proved their usefulness, the duchess,
out of her American millions, may put
up special buildings or add to her
leases the adjoining houses on the
same block. For with her this is not a
new charitable occupation of the Len
ten season, nor the passing and forced
duty of great lady of the land, but a
life work in carrying out which she
hopes to solve one of London's many
social problems.
Readers, of course, are familiar with
the family troubles of the duke and
duchess of Marlborough. The duchess
has the friendship of Queen Alexandra.
By marriage her aunt is the marchion-
ess of Lansdowne, wife of the former
foreign minister. She is the acknowl-
edged leader among women in political
society. Lady Lansdowne also is a
great friend of the queen, and may be-
come mistress of the robes at court.
The queen and Lady Lansdowne deep
ly sympathize with the Duchess They
have cheered her up and advised her
on more than one occasion.
Soon after the estrangement between
the Marlboroughs the queen suggested
that the duchess devote her time to
hard work in order to get her mind off
her troubles. Her mother, Mrs. o. H.
P. Belmont, was with the duchess at
the time, and together they went to
the Church army and had a talk with
its leader, the Rev. Wilson Garlic.
The duchess wanted occupation which
would not bring her before the public
Mr.. Garlic took her to No. 6 Banner
street, St. Luke's, where, in the midst
of the city slums, the army has its lit
tie branch devoted to the aid of pris-
oners' wives and families. The work
is carried on in a modest way without
publicity by Mrs. Holder, wife of Capt.
Holder, the man in charge of the fire
wood department of the Church army