Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-10


ity of our time do not incline
the meek and lowly to par
Il ticular regard for persons of
condition. Nor is the patron
age of princes and the favor of lords
solicited to any noticeable degree by
the poets and scientists of the day.
The most superficial survey of history
will discover that the condeScenSion
of gentleman of the haut ton was
once regarded as almost an essential
OF poets success; while the crafts
man, were he never so cunning and eX-
quisite, must rely for his fame on the
caprice of the young men Of fashion
who were, IL Is To he presumed, rot the
less generous because they We're in
variably in debt and had not the worse
taste because they were nearly always
in wine.
In our generation however. we
have progressed so far i'll the liberal
arts that, should man of letters so
mask himself with The impertinenCe OF
fashion as to be remarked at Ascot IN
clothes which, with a deplorable want
of faith in the dignity of letters, have
been cut to fit his person. he shall at
once be convicted by AL intelligent
people of a lack of feeling for all that
IS genuine in art and literature. That
cannot be altogether just. An effemi-
nate manner and unusual habits
should not, on the other hand. inVari-
a bly, be taken for sure signs of genius
in the mrrlo! sciences. and laYmen
should be warned against regarding
soiled linen as an essential OF The
successful ascent of ParnasSus.
In the face of this illiberal attitude
toward the upper sort, the popular in
terest in the young Duke of Mall is
the more surprising. and to that gen
tleman's familiars and dependents it
has for long been source of gratitiCa
ton 70 observe how the esteem in
which he is held by the people of Eng
land is rivaled only 10y the interest
shown in the table manners of the
most famous pugilisJS and the respect
extended to the tireleSS energies of the
most beloved prince in Christendom.
Nor was the young dukes greatness
unheralded. his birth without good
omen; historians the world over will
know the legend of the Dukedom OF
Mall, how ii was propheSied by
sbyl of the Restoration that on the
birth of the greatest Of that house the
golden cock on the weather vane of
st. James tower would crow thrice.
and on his death ii would also crow
thrice. And only those most stepped
III the modern vice of skepticiSm will
iisbeIieve the unanimous evidence of
every club servant in st. James street
that this miracle attended the birth of
the seventeenth duke.
There follow, then. some Sidelights
on the recent life of the young Duke
of Mall and his lady. Than these two,
history will say, history must say
there never was a more comedy pair.
for such is the unknowable wisdom OF
the All Wise. that opposition will dis
cover the sweetest harmony. The diff
ferenceS referred to are. of course.
those of breeding and nationality, for
the lady was an American out OF Chi
cago, in the State of Illinois. But
TO attempt to describe Miss Lamb were
to challenge contempt and defy the
limitations set by the gods upon hui
man speech. Let it suffice that she
was beautiful; the quality of her color
comparable only to that of a garden
in tempered sunlight. The texture OF
her complexion the envy of silkworms,
while the glory of her hair has been
described by minor poet as cap of
beaten gold and Autumn leaves. AS
for the lady's eyes, shall a phrase at
tempt where a thousand photographs
have failed?
The duke wooed. WAS Knocked: he
entreated, was heguiled: he pleaded
was provoked, he stormed. was dis
missed: he worshiped. was accepted.
The wedding paralyZed the traffic OF
LOnGOn Tor several hours ana the
newspapers of England and America
for several days
II should be noted that the wedding
present of the brides father to the
young duke was an ocean-going yacht
Of gratifying tonnage. White and
graceful, the yacht Camelot rode the
seas like a bird.
NOV, alas, not the most kindly OBJ
server can but have remarked
that the recent life Of the young duke
and his duchess has been as con-
spiCuouS for its private color as for its
public splendor. There have been
rumors. there has been chatter. But
1t is the austere part of the historian
to deal only in facts. The facts are
as follows:
South Of the lands Of the old
troubadours, between the heights of
the Southern Alps and the languor Of
the Mediterranean. lies Cannes. The
year we tell of was in its first youth.
The flower and chivalry of England
and America We're promenading in
the sunlight of the pretty town. The
waters slept profoundly in the full
kiss Of the afternoon SUM-, There, as