Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-03-31
FIRST AMERICAN DUCHESS.

London Express.-More than SIS
years have elapsed since London So
ciety received a sort of delicious
electric shock by the introduction
into it of a fascinating and accom-
plished American lady with her
equally fascinating and lovely daugh-
ter.
In those days music in the even
ing meant either fiorid program
rendered by operate artists or some
rather mawkish amateur efforts on
the part of ladies and gentlemen
with unframed voices and unskilled
fingers. How welcome, then. was the
contrast AFFORDED by the wife orDon
Antonio Yznaga del Vale of LouisI-
ana, who. after dinner party of in
innate friends. where her conversa-
ton had delighted every one, would
from the depths of an armchair ron
out in a rich contralto and perfectly
modulated voice song after song TO
the skilled accompaniment Of her
daughter Consuelo!
Needless to say, many suitors ap-
piled for the hand of the younger
lady. and many were disappointed
when, early in 1876, her engagement
was announced to George Victor
Drogo, Viscount Vaudeville, eldest
son of the seventh duke of Manches-
ter, and Familiarity known as Kim"
An abreviation of Kimbolton castle.
the family seat.
This first entree of America into
the British peerage was viewed with
keen interest on both sides of the
Atlantic, and the embryo American
duchess was overwhelmed with con-
gratulations not unmixed with friendly
warnings that it would behoove her
to recover her consort from his boz
hemian ways.
His mother. better known to the
present generation as Louise, duch-
ess of Devonshire. quickly recognized
that in a genuine love match lay the
best chance of her sons future. ana
warmly welcomed her new daughter
in-law as Viscountess Vaudeville.
The lady whose presence will for the
future be sorely and sadly missed en-
joyed social career unique in char
acter. In spite of constant changes
of residence. she was always and In
all places given to hospitality" and
her guests ranged from crowned
heads. eminent statesmen. philoso-
piers and artists, down to the most
modest of her compatriots recon-
mended to her favor.
There ran story that on one oc-
casion when the then princess or
Wales was her guest, the party, on
emerging from the dning-room.
found the dinner plates ranged on
the staircase, the domestic excuse
offered and accepted in good spirit
being that the oriental page. whCee
duty it was to convey the crockery
to the scullery, was equipping him
self for performance with the banjo.
In 1890. on the death of her father
in-law, Lady Vaudeville became duch-
ess of Manchester. but her husband
only bore his ducal honors for two
years, and in August, 1892, left her
a widow with one son and twin
daughters. The exquisite grace ana
loneliness of the latter rendered the
more poignantly pathetic their I'M
timely deaths in the flower Of their
youth.
It is probable that these terribly
sad events, which succeeded one an
other with brief interval of five
years, weighed irresistibly on the
spirits of the mother who had striven
desperately to arrest the fatal NAL
| ady which in each case bereaved her,
for although the duchess always
turned a brave and smiling face TO
the world, her most intimate friends
could not fail to recognize an under.
current of sadness in the last years
of her life.