The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-01-23
NEWS AND GOSSIP
OF OTHER LANDS

early Georgian period, the Duchess Of
Westminster recently displayed her his
trionic abilities as an amateur actress in
the library of her palatial country resi-
dence. Eaton Hall. Cheshire, in aid of the
funds for the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
at Rhyl
A distinguished audience gathered in
the fine old library. Among others who
took part in the acting was MIR. n.
Forbes Robertson. The play was "A
Kiss a costume comedy by George Pas
ton. The duchess. who took the principal
character. Mistress Chalmers. appeared
in a beautiful white satin robe of the
Georgian time. and her hair was arranged
and lowered in the fashion then pre-
vailing.
The play depicts Mistress Chalmers
prosecuted by the attentions of d strange
gentleman. who audaciously forces his
way into~her lodgings at Bath and bold
ly demands kiss PaSsionately he pours
out a touchingly sentimental story Of how
he has vowed either to obtain that kiss
or lose his fortune, honor. and life itself.
His earnest appeal. supported by the pro-
duction Of a pistol. with which he threat
" Siioct himself, MIsti tS,
Chalmers to take pity on the strange APP
picant and he is allowed to take the
kiss. He departs, and then it is discov-
cred that he is Gentleman Jake" a no.
torious hiGhwayman. who has taken adj
vantage of the kiss to steal from the
lady's neck "a priceless necklace.
The duchess acted her part with charm
ing naturalness. and though she was suf-
fering from cold. her elocution was
clear and effective and her stage move
ments were graceful.
The part of the highwayman was inn
personated by MIR. q. CORVALLIS West.
A cinema tograph show. an organ recital,
and a step-dance were on the programme.
Her grace. right after the Christmas holt
days. went to join her sister. Princess
Henry of Pless. at Cimez. She is the
daughter of Col William CORVALLIS
West. of Ruthn Castle. in Ireland, a
scion of the SackviIle- West family, the
head of which is the Earl de la War;
and West. Her husband, Sir Hugh Rich
ard Arthur Grosvenor, is the second
duke. his father. Sir Hugh Lupus GrOs-
venor. having been created d duke in
1874. The family is an ancient one in
Cheshire. and derives its surname from
the Office of lie grosvenor''-chief
huntsman-in Normandy. In the noted
Scropc-Grosvenor controversy in 1855, Sir
Robert Grosvenor affirmed his right to
the arms, azure a bend or worn by
his ancestor, Sir Gilbert Grosvenor. when
he came to England with the Conqueror.
1t was stated in evidence at the trial
that Sir Gilbert, the nephew of Hugh
Lupus, Earl of Chester. was the father
of Robert, who was father of Henry,
father of Rauf, father of Richard. father
of Robert, who died about 12S, &c
Though the right to the arms was denied
him by the Chivalry Court, his descent
as set forth above, was allowed in several
subsequent herald visitations.
The late Earl Spencer (Sir John
Poyntz Knight of the Carter, fifth OF
the line; also Viscount Althorp. Viscount
Spencer. as we'll as Baron Spencer, OF
Althorp, Northumberland, chancellor OF
the Victoria University. groom of the
stole to the late prince consort and to
the late King Edward when Prince OF
Wales. lord lieutenant of Ireland. &c;
Gladstone ministry, and keeper of the
privy seal to King Edward. and who
died last August, aged seventyfour. left
an estate of the gross value of a., S4
pounds, with a net personal income OF
80. S5l pounds.
His will is dated July l., 1857. There
are two codicils. Probate was granted tc
his brother the Right Hon. Charles Rob
ert. now the sixth Earl Spencer, who is
his heir in full, his wife having preceded
him to the grave. A leading clause il
his will reads as follows:
Il bequeath all the pictures, prints
books. MSS, works of art. scientific
collections. and other things not yielding
income ,the famous Althorp library va:
purchased by the late Mrs. Rylands fol
public use in Manchester, which may b'
of national. scientific, or historic inter
est, or which. by my trustees, shall b'
made to appear to the treasury to be so
upon trust to devolve as heirlooms Il
follow the title of Earl Spencer.
1t is not generally known that Lore
Lansdowne the most trenchant of politi
cal opponents. is one of the most delight
full of raconteurs. a friend of the writer
heard him relate the story of his first
speech in the House of Lords. He had
taken a great deal of trouble with it, and
had prepared what he thought was a
pretty good effort. Screwing up his cour-
age, his little speech was fired off.
Next morning he looked in the papers
for report of the same. He was not
quite sure whether he should get half d
column or perhaps even three-auarters OF
column. His lordship rather believed
that it should be the latter.
The paper came and he searched i,
through and through. After considerable
trouble in locating it. he came across
these words:
After some observations by Lore
Lansdowns. who was inaudible in the
gallery
Lord LansdOwne is one of the finest
linguistS in the upper chamber. He
speaks French like a Frenchman, and
German. as Mr.. Baffour put it recently
like Bismarck"
Ex-Leut. Woods. Of the British army
whose claim of 5000 pounds against the
army council was a sensation of the past
year. has. been given an important con-
sular appointment. The Ratchet appar'
ently has been buried at last.
This interesting young guardsman is
the eldest son of Lieut.. Col william Wood
&c nd nf