Evening journal., 1919-12-13
BRITISH HEIR
4: SOON To we'd
Marquis of Blandford TO Be
come Husband of Hon.
Alexandra Cadogan
SHE is HEIRESS
TO MEUX FORTUNE

NEW YORK, Dec. i9-Any expeeta-
tions that may have been entertained
smong the debutantes Of the New York
season of landing the young Marquis
Of Blandford, admittedly one Of the
greatest matrimonial catches Of the Old
Norld have been dashed to the ground
through the cable from London an
nouneing his engagement there to Hon
Alexandra Cadogan, a younger daugh-
. ter of Mildred Lady MeuX, now The wife
OF Admiral Of the-Fleet Hon. Sir He'd
worth Meux.
It had been repeatedly announced that
Lord Blandford, who is an officer OF the
First Life Guards, would visit New
York this winter for the purpose or
staying with his mothers relatives; !;
that is to say, with his grandfather.
william X. Vanderbilt Sr, and with
his grandmother, Mrs. o H. p. Belmont,
and hopes were entertained that while
81 Ia this country he might follow the
examples set 10 him by his father, the
ninth Duke Of Marlborough, and by
4 his grandfather. the eighth Duke and
place his straWberry-leaved coronet at
the feet Of some fascinating daughter
Of Uncle sam.
But fate has willed 70 otherwise, and
the consort of the next Duke Of Marl-
2 borough, who is half American through
q his mother. will be a very comely and
= charming English girl, a god-daughter
= Of Queen Alexandra.
Unlike his more immediate prede-
cessors in the possession OF The Duke
dom of Marlborough and OF its entsiled
estates, which include the magnificent
pasace of Blenhelm, in 0Xf0rdshire,
y.sing Lord Blandford was born with
golden spoon in his mouth and has
no knowledge save through hearsay OF
ihe financial troubles that have dogged
he footsteps OF so many members OF
ais fathers historic line.
For the Marlborough estates have
been cleared OF their heavy incum
brances by the present Vanderbilt
Duchess.
Nor is the future Marchioness OF
Blandford and prospective Duchess OF
Marlborough in any way penniless.
True, she Inherited nothing from her
father, the late ViscOunt Chelsea. whose
ceaseless financial troubles were only
brought TO a close through his death.
But she benefited very largely un-
der the viii OF a one-time variety ac-
tress and music hall divette who, in
no wise related. has taken a fancy to
her as a particularly lovely child, and
who, having Inherited an immense for
tune from her brewer husband, the
late Sir Henry Meux. divided It at the
time OF her death between young Alex
sndra Cadogan, the latter's mother. now
Lady tHedworthl Meux and Alexandra's s
stepfather, Admiral OF the Fleet, Sir
Iiedworih Meux.
The most extraordinary thing about
the bestowal Of the fortune, OF the es-
+ iales and of the racing stable by Susan
Lady MeuX the one-time music hall
dvette upon the gallant Admiral, upon
his wife and upon his stepdaughier is
that she scarcely knew them, and that
the beQuest came to them after her
death in the form Of complete sur
prise, entirely unexpected by them
selves or by the world TO which they
belonged. Susan, Lady NIeux, was
rather eccentric in her attire and ap-
pearance.
In fact, she was an object of uncon-
cealed ridicule and dersi0n on the part
of the fashionable world whenever she
came into contact with it at the vari-
a Gus race freaks, for she was passion
ately devoted to racing.
Sir HedwOrih, who had heard stories
Of Susan Lady Meux's kindliness OF
heart, was rendered indignant by the
particularly mocking and sneering
treatment accorded to her at one OF the
races at which he was present and was
moved thereby 10 show her some touch
Of Difference and Of courtesy.
Some months later happening