The Washington herald., 1910-12-07
SOCIAL GOSSIP OF
OTHER CAPITALS

! King George or England al last mas
been provoked into replying, through his
secretary, to the SANDER that years ago
he contracted morganatic marriage.
This runnor has obtained long start
and seems difficult to overtake; but 1t is
10 be hoped that the world has heard
the last OF it. now that Sir Arthur Biggs
has denied it in terms which seem to
admit OF no Misrepresentation.
you have my authority for stating in
any manner that you see ht," said Sir
Arthur. that King George never was
married, mocganatically or otherwise
until July 6. 1893. when ne welded Prin-
cess Victoria Mary of Teck. his present
Queen. Moreover. nothing in the King 3
life could give the slightest ground for
the conception Of such a deliberate false
hood"
In view Of this definite statement. the
action of a London Sunday paper. offer
ing a reward of 81, 600 10 any person who
can offer any proof whatever OF this
| charge. probably will be withdrawn IL
ought to be- at any rate. This somewhat
| yellow offer is open 90 misconstruc-
ton. and when the editor made 1t he
/ undoubtedly was not in possession Of Sir
ATthur's indignant refutation. But there
may be another side TO this offer Most
| likely the editor meant well when he
published that offer For il appears that
various scandal mongers have been
| spreading this false report promiscu-
ously in the parks, and the paper Of
| fered the reward In order 10 prevent fur
Their disgraceful asTersions.
This Is not the first tine that King
! Georges integrity has been publicly de-
! Tended Only a few months ago the
/ Archbishop Of York described the King
/ as a man OF a regular. disciplined, alb
| stemious life an example TO every man.
while Dean Russell Wakefield denounced
/ as absolute fiction the rumors that the
/ King was not strictly temperate and that
1 he has been morganatically married. In
| cidentally, MIR Albert Stead. the noted
editor. has often written tn the same
| sense.
The recent death of Prince Francis OF
Teck, brother TO Queen Mary OF Eng
land means that his younger brother
Prince Alexander, will assume a more
prominent position in society. Prince
Alexander already has accepted tht
philanthropic duties carried on so whole
heartedly by his dead brother. and I an
/ told that the next indication Of Prince
Alexander's higher status will be the
comforting upon him OF the title Of royal
highness instead OF serene highness.
Prince Alexander is on the sunny sid,
OF forty. but he is still Young Teck'
! 20 his intimates. Tall and broad in pro.
| portion, handsome and soldierly. a good
/ all-around sportsman. and an accom-
plished linguist Prince Alexander /:
/ splendidly equipped for royal career.
The prince is a captain in the Roya
/ Horse Guards. He won his ID. s. o (dis.
I tinguished service ORDER during the Boel
war. He also distinguished himself dur
| ing the Matabele campaign. a thorough
! soldier, he has never hesitated TO -rougf
it. with the rank and file. The primes
/ was married six years ago to Princes,
| Alice Of Albany. only daughter of the
/ Duchess OF Albany and a niece OF thu
late King Edward
TON" Cullinan is to be robbed OF i'm
mortality by the remaining of the Gull
nan diamond. which in future is 10 b
known as the star Of South Africa"
Everybody in England and out ha
heard OF the CuTlinan diamond, which
AieN7 hTNA FiliBtAfS4 III AtiF trAt NIX Esl
wards crown. but outside OF Soutt
Africa the discoverer OF that wondrou!
gem is little known. He is a spare. strong
man OF the Labor member type. on th.
right side of fifty. Beginning life as z
penniless youth. he is now the multimil-
liOnaire chairman OF the celebrated Pre-
mier Diamond Mining Company.
His discovery OF the Premier mine wa:
not what you would call a lucky coup
II was the result OF calculated courage
After the BOeT war he had the ehanci
OF buying an Old Boer farm near Pretoria
Believing the farm 10 contain diamond
he risked every penny he owned upol
its purchase. To-day that piece of farm
land on which he discovered the Premie
mine is worth 100000 sterling. and on
of it came the huge diamond which IN
government Of TransVaal presented q
King Edward.
Those who know him say that tom
Cullinan has not been spoiled by his phe
lnOmenaI success. He remains faithful q
his old friends. no matter how humble
and has no desire to become a popula
figure in society. Every one OF the or
derby community Of 1000 whites and a
many natives who dwell happily on tn
crater Of that Premier mine is devote'
10 Tom Cullinan.
Drafts in Parliament are credited wit
the partial responsibility for the Gus
tom Of members wearing their hats. Blu
privilege and tradition are factors also
When fourteen years ago it was propose
at the London county council TO star
hat-wearing because of the drafts a
Spring Gardens, the council decided no
10 ape the manners OF Parliament" Lor
Onslow nobly declined to make a part,
question OF a natural infirmitv ike
bald head" Formerly fear of draft
led TO the wearing of hats even at din
ner though Ii was good manners not 4
put on your hat until your host did
Pepys records catching a bad cold %.
hinging or my hat at dinner. sitting wit
the wind in my neck"
Familiar as was the high price OF
seat in Parliament in the old DAYS, tn
expense sometimes caused the deepes
purse To- look very shallow Thus we fin
Sir Samuel Romilly. in 1907, complainin
that, although he desired to SIT in tn
house. he could hear OF no seats TO b
disposed of. After a Parliament" h
grumbles that has lived little NOR
than four months. one would naturall
suppose that those seats that are regu
larly sold by the proprietors would b
very cheap; they are, in fact, sold no,
at n higher price than was ever give
before"
Tierney told him that he had offere
$1,000 for the two seats at WestburN
which were to be made the most of b
trustees for creditors. Six thousand an
five thousand pounds. he adds. were give
for seats with no stipulation as to tim
or against the event Of speedy dissolu
ton by the Kings death or by chang
of administration
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