The Washington herald., 1916-09-18
YOUR WEDDING DAY
And the Famous Men and WOmer
Who Have shared 1t.
September 1s-George BaIIHe and
Lady GriseII Hume.
BY MARY MARSHALL.

BY MARY MARSHALL.
No doubt woman's privileges and uu-
ties in the community have been increas-
ing steadily for the last hundred years
or so. But, ever since marriage came
in fashion, the woman in her own home
has, apparently. had as many privileges
as she has today. There are today, as
there were 300 odd years ago. woman
who exist under the benevolent despotism
of their husband, unable to spend a
farthing without first consulting that
worthy. And there were then as there
are today women who have the purse
strings in their own hands and have
the financial management of the family
entirely under their own sway
Lady Grisell Bailie was a woman Of
the latter class. Needless to say she
possessed no small ability and, need
less to say, she was happy in the ex-
erCise of her power.
He had no ambition" writes a daugh-
ter Of George BailIie in her memoir of
her father and mother. but to be free
of debt; yet no great trust and conf
dence did he put in my mother and so
absolutely free of all jealousy and sus-
picion that he left the management OF
his AFFAIRS entirely to her. without scarce
asking a question about them. except
sometimes he would say to her: Is my
debt paid yet?'"
Grisell Baillie seems to have inspired
confidence in those who loved her from
the days OF childhood. She was the elder
of eighteen children of Sir Patrick Hume
who was one of the stanchest support
ers of the Scotch patriot, Robert Baillie
With him he was involved in some ma
tionalist plot and when Balllie lay in
prison at Edinburgh, Hume wished to
carry on secret correspondence with
him. 1t was several miles from Hume's
country home to the prison in Edinburg
and the messenger who undertook the
journey whenever letters were to be de-
ltvered naturally had to possess much
pluck and endurance. Because Of her
innocent appearance and her high spirits
Little Grisen," then only 70 years old
was chosen for the task 1t was while
thus serving as a secret messenger that
the child first met Balllie's son, George,
who fell in love with her on the spot
for her pluck and daring.
In spite of all his friends could do for
him, however, Baillie was hung and Sir
Fatrlck Hume only escaped imprisonment
by being concealed for many weeks in the
Hume family vault, a mile or so from his
home 1t was Little Griseu' again who
undertook the nightly visits to the tomb
with food and drink for her father. But
Hume managed to escape to France,
where he assumed the name of Dr. Wal
lace. George Baillie, now grown to be a
manly young scotchman, was also seek
ing shelter in France. and so the ro-
nance progressed. Young Baillie and
Griselrs brother were in the service of
the Prince of Orange, and the story goes
that these two young Scotch soldiers
when on sentry duty had a keen eye for
any pretty girls who might pass, and that
they set their halberts across the door
and would not let a pretty girl pass until
she gave them each kiss. which made
them think and call them very pert SOL
diers"
But pert soldiers often turn out to make
the most exemplary of husbands, and,
once married to Little Grisell." young
Baillie had no further interest in the
pretty girls he chanced to meet The
marriage took place "a years ago today,
when Grisell was q and George Baillis