New-York tribune., 1907-03-03
ONE OF HIS PECULIARIuEs

There is little feature which nav raasa
much or little. but which visitor to Lord straeh-
coma cannot but notice. When indoors he always
wears a little brown mat Of silk daiutfly Gro.
cheted. on the top OF his head 70 cover the plaes
where the once abundant hair has disappea=ed
Why he wears this little cap nobody seems 70
know but there must be some reason OF no orss-
nary nature; for IL gives him a great deal oe
trouble. slipping over his head whenever he turns
with quick movement as he often does when
engaged IN a conversation which interests him.
he always balances II again carefully. II may bs
some gift OF the olden days. some meuentO OF a
faithful Indian friend during hts long and loneIg
sojourn in the Canadian wilds. or il may be ths
work Of his wife's hands Certain IT Is that soma
interesting history attaches 20 it, and that Lord
Strathcona sets high value on the little square
Of worked silk.
have told Of the marriage OF Donald Smith %
Isabella Hardisty. a daughter OF Rupsrtsland.
The one daughter OF this union Margaret Char
lotte. married Mr.. r. j. Bliss Howard OF Mon
treal Since the removal Of the Strathcouas from
Montreal TO London Mr.. Howard and his family
have also gone abroad His son, a youth Of ten
or eleven years. is being trained and educated
fortune which will ultimately tall TO him BY act
Of & the BIltsn I ParhaIlent. the barony OF Lord
line IN recognition Of his service to the Empire in
Ta SogtH 14 5rS&n S War otherwise il would have
Lady Strathcona has never been associated with
her husband in his public relations. h1r
slightly known 10 any but the intimates Of his
Lord Strathcona's favorite residence at the
present time is knebworth. the ancestral estate
Of the Lytton family, the descenGants of the
famous writer Lord LyttOn- This estate, how
ever Is merely leased for term OF years. and the
real SJrathcOna establishments those at Glen
Coe AMI CCOnsay, in Scotland; Winnipeg, Lic-
tous N 5, and his great house in Montreal
In London ne lives az No. IS CadOgan Square. Ihe
Montreal house which has been placed tne
disposal OF the Governor General OF Canada when
ever he visits that city, contains most of its
owners magnificent collection OF pictures anu
Raphael. Titan. Turner tone of whose unesL
works. the Mercury and Argos is now in tie
London house, Reynolds, GaInsoorOugh. ROmney,
MlllaiS, Constable and other great masters.
his acquisition II Jules BTetOnS best known
picture, The First Communion, made consider
able STIR in the art world. for the price paid
the highest that had ever been given up 90 that
time for any work except by the greatest OF the
old masters. In this purchase Lord SIrathcOna
had his competitor The picture buyer Of j. j.
Hill. and the blCding between The two was OF the
most spirited description. After the picture had
fallen into Lord SJraJncOnas hands. at a price
about twice what was expected, he received a call
from his old friend OF the Minnesota railroads.
who expressed his deep regret that he had failed
TO secure the picture. Mr. Hill explained thar he
lOnged 10 the Catholic Church. and that he would
gladly give Lord Strathcona 5000 more than he
had paid for IL. Lord StrathcOna refused the
offer. but a few days later the picture was sent
over to Mr.. HIS London address, with Q BRIEF
note expressing the hope that Mrs. Hill would
accept it as a gift Mr.. and Mrs Hill declined TO
permit Lord Strathcona 20 make this sacrifice.
and the picture remains IN the hands OF It's pur-
chaser at the present day.-Ihe WORLDS work