The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-02
A DOUBLE
ARISTOCRAT


and l spent in London we were pre-
sented at court and saw considerable
OF society. That season there were an
unusual number OF debutantes at the
capital. among them Lady Gwendolen
Bortesque. We met her at various
functions and mnde her acquaintance,
but cannot say that between us
there was anything more than an ac-
quaintaDce. In the first place. she was
a dozen years our junior, and. in the
second, her position was far above the
reach Of untitled Americans. Never
theless | should have liked to know
her, for she impressed me as being
superior woman.
Several years after this winter in
London while at my home in st. Louis
l had occasion to visit a public school
In which my daughter was studying.
Entering room where class of girls
were rsciting, there on a raised dals
standing beside a desk and spea king
to her class with all the ease and dig
nifty Of an oxford professor was the
counterpart Of the young lady had
met in London.
what Is the teachers name2"
asked Of one who was with me.
Miss Grandon."
What an astonishing likenessl Was
she OF was she not Lady Gwendolen
Fortesque7 l have met many a per.
son well known to me of whose identl-
ty | was not at some time sure. and It
was natural that did not feel certain
Of the identity Of one whom l had
seen but a few times Besides. how
could II be possible that member OF
a select circle Of the British aristocra-
cy could be teacher In a st. Louis
public school? was at the door
when the class YVES dismissed and
went to the desk TO speak to Miss
Grandon about my daughter.
Curiosity prompted me to inquire
about Miss Grandon, but no one ap.
peared to know anything about her.
and the next autumn, when the school
opened, she was not there. / wrote to
friends I'm London asking Of the where
abouts Of Lady Gwendolen Fortesque
and was told that she was travelling,
supposedly In Egypt. This was puz-
cling, but l was obliged to be content,
for could learn nothing further from
England. At home asked where
Miss Grandon had gone and was told
that she had accepted a position in
England. The Lady Gwendolen For.
tesque, or Miss Grandon, whichever
she might be, occupied considerable
portion Of my thoughts for some time,
then gradually dropped out.
When my daughter had finished her
education l decided that she should
make her debut in London. The intro
duction was successfully accomplished,
and we were kindly treated by Lon.
don society, One of the first questions
asked was what had become Of Lady
Gwendolen Fortesque. was told that
she was now Marchloness of Brockle-
bourne. All my confidence as to Miss
Grandon and Lady Gwendolen Fortes.
que being one and the same person
deserted me. Certainly | must have
been mistaken in thinking saw a
monetary recognition In Miss Gran
don's face.
The time came when at a reception
we met the marchioness face to face.
My daughter had been extremely fond
OF Miss GraDdon and when she saw
her double standing among a group Of
ladies' was impelled to run toward her.
She checked the impulse, however, or.
rather, did, and few moments lassr
the marchioness saw US. She looked
away at once, but showed no especial
embarrassment. We saw her no more
that evening, but the next day whose |
card should be handed us but that OF |
the Marchioness OF Brocklebourne.
You may imagine that both my
daughter and l lost no time In going
down to greet her, and the moment |
Alice entered the room she rushed into |
her former teachers arms.
Then, Of course. we had the story. |
The marchioness' brother, Oldest son
and heir of the Earl OF Herendeen.
had become involved in speculation |
aud had been proceeded against crlmi- |
pally and finally incarcerated. During
~AAo NAOobAo AulutI spent every 4
cent OF unentailed property to assist
bis son. Lady Gwendolen Fortesque
resolved to turn her education TO ad. |
vantage, secretly sailed for America,
assumed the name OF her mothers
family and secured a position In the /
public schools OF St. Louis. While
there her father died. and under a
British law that no peer OF the realm
can be arrested or imprisoned her
brother. who became peer at his IA.
theirs death. was liberated. Almost at
the same time the shares Of a certain
corporation In which the new earl was
heavily interested advanced in value
on the London Stock Exchange. and
be was cleared OF debt Lady Gwendo-
len returned to England, resumed her
position without her friends knowing
where she had been and married.