The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-11

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HOPf..
Lady Hester Sttnhopes was II OF
the most eccentric OF English worne
of the eighteenth century. She Gems
to have come by her peculiarities
honestly. for she was the eldest
daughter Of Charles. Earl Stanhope,
the eccentric English nobleman. who
invented the early printing press
bearing his am and who. rs q
statesman. was noted for the violence
eXtremeneSS of his democratic
views, leading him, upon one occa-
sion. in d tit Of republican enthu-
siasm, to abandon his carriage and
cause the armorial-hearings to be
erased from his plate and furniture.
Lady Testers mother was the cid
est daughter Of Pitt, the great Earl
of Chatham. She died when her
daughter was an infant, and there
fore Hester was deprived OF the care
a young girl should have. and even
her education was sadly neglected.
When she was twentv she went to
act as a sort of secretary for her
uncle, who was then prime minister,
and remained with him until his
death in 1906.
In the next few years she dis
played such singular qualities Of bad
temper, S~ellishneSS and lack of feel
ing that all her friends were es-
tranged and the English government
withdrew a pension h had been
drawing. In 1910 she shook the dust
Of England from her feet and start
ed for the East. In 1912 she arrived
in Syria and settled On Mt. Lebanon.
where she remained the rest Of her
| life. entirely cut off from the COM
partnership Of her friends and her
Countrymen.
Occasionally some traveller who
KNEW her would make the trip to
! Mt. Lebanon to pay her a visit. and
these persons told curious tales Of
! her household. The tea was served
one day. the servant brought the
teapot to the table holding it by the
spout, as the handle was gone. The
ceiling Of her salon was upheld by
beams Of wood. and her sec was a
mattress aid on planks that were
placed on trestles.
Lady Stanhope was a hard mistress
and demanded u~nheard-of hours OF
service. At one time all the free
women in her employ left in a huff
and her slaves were constantly run
ming away. A strict daily accoun
was kept by a secretary Of how every
hour Of the day Of each servant ant
slave was employed, and many of he
cNcllLRS I-duy 1lCSlCk WOuIu Spcilt
in the perusal of this book.
Her own time was fully occupied
divided as it was into curious detail
She remained in bed until 3 O'Clock
in the afternoon, and retired at abou
the same hour the next morning
She began her daily duties at abou
6 D.. m. Her first work was to as
sign to all in the household tn
routine of their labors for the mex
: day-for no such eccentric hour
were allowed servants. This accom-
plished she spent the rest Of he
time till she retired in looking 70
r trouble in the household. sco!din
and not infreQuently swearing, writ
ing letters and talking for hour upo
any subject upon which she Sc
started.
) For a long time after she had gon
to bed she kept most of the house
: hold awake and busy, her bell cal
ing them for various services.
/ might be for a lemonade. or a bov
: of broth. or a can Of camOmile tie:
for which the gardener was calle
f to gather the herb; or h had FOL
gotten some detail Of an order Il
the next day. and whoever was
s execute it had to be awakened
hear what she had to say.
e Lady Hester kept in good accol
with the pasha. to whom she mao
presents and rendered services
e various sorts. and she often sent gif
d to his harem. In this way she Ia
l. a certain protection. She died as 81
lived in Syria, with no friend or con
y -@r ~- - 4,