The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-02-05
A DOUBLE
ARISTOCRAT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Copyright. 1909. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
During winter that my husband
and | spent in London we were pre-
scented at court and saw considerable
OF society. That season there were an
unusual number Of debutantes at the
capital. among them Lady Gwendolen
Fortesque. We met her at various
functions and made her acquaintance.
but 1 cannot say that between Us
there was anything more than an &C
quaintance. 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 a
superior woman.
Several years after this winter In
London while at my home in st. Louis
had occasion to visit a public school
in which my daughter was studying.
Entering room where class of girls
were recitfng, there on raised dals
standing beside desk and speaking
TO her class with all the ease and dig
nifty Of an Oxford professor was the
counterpart OF the young lady l had
met in Lendon.
what is the teachers nameT I
asked Of one who was with me.
Miss Grandon."
What an astonishing Iikenessl Was
she or was she not Lady Gwendolen
Fortesque7 have met many a per.
son well known to me Of whose identi-
~ was net at same time sure, and it
was natural that did not feel certain
Of the identity of one whom / had
seen but few times. Besides, how
could 1t 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 was dismissed and
went to the desk to speak to Miss
Grandon about my daughter.
Curiosity prompted me to inquire
about Miss Brandon. but no one APP
peared TO know anything about her.
and the next autumn, when the school
opened, she was not there. wrote to
friends in Londen asking of the where
abouts Of Lady Gwendolen Fortesque
and was told that she was travelling,
supposedly in Egypt This was puz-
xling, 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 GwendoIen For
tesque, or Miss GraRdon, whichever
she might be, occupied considerable
portion Of my thoughts for some time,
then gradually dropped cut
When my daughter had finished her
education / decided that she should
make her debut IN London The intro
duction was successfully accomplished.
and we were kindly trented by Lon
don society. One Of the first questions
i asked was what had become of Lady
Gwendolen Fortesque. l was told that
she was now Marchioness 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
momentary recognition in Miss Gran
don's face.
The time came when at reception
we met the marchioness face to face
My daughter had been extremely fond
of Miss Grandon and when she saw
her double standing amoag group Of
ladies was impclled to run toward her
She checked the impulse. however. or.
rather. did, and few moments later
the marchioness saw us. She looked