New-York tribune., 1909-11-03
Literary .Nete,s and Criticism

secured the blessing of the Pope
Decidedly she was bent upon having
a good time even if she had to turn the
world upside down. Her spirits were
irdomtable and she came back 10 Lon
don carrying her head high. Looking on
at debate in the House of Lords
she observed the approach of the
Marchioness of Ailesbury. and. she says,
Il could see by her look that for some
reason of her own she meant to cur
me" Quick as n flash she carried the
war into the enemy's camp and met
Lady Aiesbury with a remark so like
the slash of q whip across the face that
one is not surprised to hear how, from
that day. the two remained ''outwardly
the best of friends" She enormously
enjoyed her married life with the leader
of the Charge of the Light Brigade. and
she mourned his death. but more charac-
teristic than any of her sedate comments
on her loss is this fragment:
After the will had been read Lord Ernest
Bruce and my brother Colonel de Horsey.
went for a stroll in the park They were
discussing the contents OF the will, and
Lord Ernest said, cheerfully, We'll. it's a
won't last long, Look here. my iord.''
replied my brother. in icy tone you
seem 10 forget you talking about my
sister
looked delicate in those days. and my
death trouh have been "a good thing for
Robert. but forty years have passed. and
he is still waiting for his inheritance,
Left in happy possession of Deene
Park, beautiful estate, Lady Cardi-
gan devoted herself to it's interests and
for some years was Indifferent to matri-
monial projects. Disraeli, she says, pro-
posed to her. but he had a personal trait
which she found unpleasant. and she
states that she was also advised against
the marriage by the present ruler of
England. In The early 10s. how
ever, she took second husband, the
Portuguese Count de Lancashire She
liked him, We infer, but he was not
content with life in England and as
she did not care to dwell always in Paris
they appear to have got on very COM
fortably, after a time, with the channel
between them. She writes a quaint
epitaph for the count: Poor Lancashire,
An attack of bronchitis killed him in
1898. He died quite suddenly in Paris,
and / did not even know he was ILL.,
His cousin, the Marquis de Several,
most kindly saw TO everything for me,
and the count was buried in the great
cemetery of Pere Lachaise" One ought
to be touched by melancholy emotion,
but it is impossible to give way to
sadness in the contemplation of so
philosophical d nature.
Lady Cardigan is always philosophical
Nothing can disturb her equanimity
When she records that she took horse
of hers over to Paris in 1879 and entered
him for the Grand Prix, it is with the
utmost placidity that she tells how he
very nearly won" that famous race
She would have mentioned his success
in the same tone. All is fish that comes
20 her net. She has a zest for experience
and tells with the same appreciation
all of her varied stories. Abiding to
the third Napoleon she praises his eX-
quisite manners, and repeats a saying
of his at Beaudesert, Lord Angleseys
place: when one evening he was asked
how he liked the house he replied
Jaime beaucoup Beaudesert, mais'
turning to Lady Desart encore plus la
belle Desart.'" " Elsewhere she pays her
compliments to the grandfather of the
present Duke of Westminster, who, she
says, had the reputation for being
rather mean. Notwithstanding his great
wealth." and she goes on to give this
instance:
A story was told about his once looking
at a pair OF trousers his valet wear
ing and saying. These are very good
trousers; did ] give them to you?' Yes.
my lord We'll. here's a shilling for
YOU" said the stingy nobleman, I'm have
them back again."
We must quote one more story from
this curious miscellany. 1t relates to the
Lord Wilton who had gained for himself
the title of The Wicked Earl" One
Sunday, when staying at his house,
Egerton Lodge. Melton Mowbray, Lady
Cardigan went to church with Lady
Wilton. His Iordship usually most
strict in his religious observances. did
not, on this occasion, appear. The tale
thus continues:
Melton Church was then very old
fashioned edifice, with high peWs: and the
clerk; who sat directly underneath the
wears seat, was considered quite an i'm
portant factor in the services
L saw the clerk look at us as we entered
the church, and he evidently noticed Lord
for what followed. The vicar duly com
menced. When the wicked" but he
was stopped by the clerk who turned to
him and, looking across at Lord Wilton's
vacant seat. said in loud voice. Please,
sir, his Lordship's not come YETI