Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-02-25
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
A DOUBLE
ARISTOCRAT
Observation-Disclosures


Of society. That season there were an
unusual number Of debutanres at the
capital, among them Lady Gwendolen
Fortesque We met her at various
functions and made her acquaintance.
but ! cannot say that between Us
there was anything more than an &C.
qualntance. In the Grst place. she was
dozen years our junior. aud. IN the
second. her position was far above the
reach OF untitled Americans. Never.
theless I should have liked 10 know
her. for she impressed me as being
superior woman.
Several years after this winter In
London while az my home 10 st. Louis
had occasion 90 visit a public school
In which my daughter was studying.
Entering a room where a class Of girls
were. reciting. there ON q raised daIs
standing beside a desk and speaking
TO her class with all the ease aud dig.
nifty OF an oxford professor was the
counterpart Of the young lady had
met In London.
y
asked Of one who was with me
Miss Grandon."
What an astonishing likenessl Was
she or was she not Lady GwendoleD
Fortesque7 have met many a per.
son well known TO me Of whose identl-
" was not at some time sure, and II
was natural that did not feel certain
OF the identity OF one whom | had
seen but n few times. Besides. how
could II be possible that q member Of
q select circle Of the British arlstocra.
cy could be a teacher In a st. Louis
public school? was at the door
when the class was dismissed and
went Go the desk TO speak TO Miss
Grandon about my daughter
Curiosity prompted me TO inquire
about Miss Grandon, but no one ap-
poared 10 know anything about her.
and the next autumn. when the school
opened, she was not there. / wrote TO
friends In London asking Of the where
abouts Of Lady Gwendolen FOrtesque
and was told that she was travelling.
supposedly IN Egypt This was puz-
ding, but 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 a considerable
portion Of my thoughts for some time.
then gradually dropped out.
When my daughter had finished her
education decided that she should
make her debut In London. The intro
dnctiOn was successfully accomplished,
and we were kindly treated By Lon
don society One Of the Hrst questions
] asked was what had becoUo OF Lady
GwendOlen Fortesque. was told that
she was now Warehouses 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
momentary recognition In Miss Gran
don's face
The time came when at q reception
we met the marchioness face to face
Ny daughter had been extremely fond
Of Miss Grandon and when she saw
her double standing among a group Of
ladies was impelIed to run toward her
She checked the impulse. however. OF,
rather, did. and few moments later
the warehouses 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 as but that OF
the Warehouses Of Brocklebourne.
You may imagine that both my
daughter and 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 erimI. /
Aally and llnally iDcarcerated. During 1
his trouble her father spent every /
'ent OF unentailed property 10 assist /
his son. Lady Gwendolen Fortesque |
'esolved TO turn her education 20 ad. |
secretly sailed for America. /
the name Of her mothers /
'amily and secured q position IN the |,
'ublic schools OF ST. Loula While
here her father died. and under a
British law that no peer OF the realm
an b arrested or imprisoned her
IrotheF. who became a peer at his "a.
hers death. was liberated Almost at
be same time the shares Of a certain
corporation IN which the new earl was
leavily interested advanced In value
n the London STICK Exchange. aud
le was cleared Of debt Lady Gwendo Il
sn returned to England. resumed her
'osltlon without her friends knowing
where she had been and married
"nOnt tell" she said. "As for me. Il
am not ashamed Of my work. but
ny family have made every effort Go
oaeeal the knowledge that have
'ecn a teacher IN America
The warehouses bad not suffered
rom her experience 10 America. Il n