LADY CURZON'S LIFE AND DEATH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13693, 8 September 1906, Page 4

LADY CURZON'S LIFE AND DEATH.

A QUEEN AMONG WOMEN.

(From Odb Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, July 21. Quite a shock of surprise and sorrow was caused through the entire kingdom tile day before yesterday, when the sad news appeared that- Lady Curzon. Hie wife of Iho ex-Viceroy or India, had suddenly passed away. It wa s known that she hail again been suffering from illness; that indeed; she had never fully regained her normal strength after Jier severe and wellnigh fatal illness at- Walmer Castle two years ago, when the sympathy of tho whole ' nation was so powerfully excited. But- nobody dreamed that, the end was so near of the most, brilliant career (hat, had ever yet fallen to the tot of an American girl, Yet so it. was. That terrible ' time of typhoid fever and peritonitis, which two years before had so nearly proved fatal, had left behind it a serious, though' unsuspected cardiao weakness. This suddenly assumed a grave form, and Lord Curzon taueplled all his engagements, but, even .then Hie worst was not anticipated. It ctae, however, -in- the shape of heart lailure, and the most brilliant and charming of all tho many brilliant and charming American girls who have attained to high places in the British Empire, passed to tier rest.

It was an amazing experience for a daughter of tho most democrat io of all republics to ascend, oven as consort tho throne of such an Empire as India, 'and so Jo become the object of the. most, humble Homage and even worship; There were some who feared that with all her good sense she might " have her head turned " •u i new a " c ' malted position. But Others knew her better. One well-known writer, when pointing out. how remarkable a career was opened out-to her by her becoming the Indian Viceroy's wife, observed: Lady Curzon'las very pretty feet, and it js a fancy of hers to wear, Pfacticaliy on all. occasions, tho most brightly-shining patent-leather shoes, taking evident pleasure in their glitter. Similarly sho takes great pleasure in the gliifor of her iew rank. It is just tlw thing that would appeal to the romance of the pretty 'm "* ® Ir ' !° rc 'S" ovor an emmre of iUU million subjecls whoee high-born and long-dc-scended princes will deem it an honour to kiss her feet us the representative of the ' Great White Empress:' However, the young American is as sensible as eho is pretty and clever, and those who know hor best do not believe that her head w|ll bo at all turned by the adulation which nif ' " s a matter of course, receive." anticipations were entirely fulfilled. Lord Curzon had not long been installed in t[ie Vice-royalty when it was written by one who was a good deal "behind tho scenes at the Indian headquarters: "India cannot find language and proceedings enthusiastic enough to set forth its admiration and ■ esteem for tho attractive yomi" lady who was formerly Mary Leiter. Never before has the wife of a Viceroy been so Mvml)v realised as tho personal representa- } lv ?.. °* . a sovereign. And the feeling 13 not limited to tho moro exalted class—to -the high-born Indian princts who are admitted to tho privilege of offering personal homage and who think it an honour to bo permitted to kiss .her dainty shoes; all classes of her Indian subjects aro no less eager to manifest their devotion in their various ways." That she was of tremendous assistance to I r l:u sband is quite certain. Sho displayed a. fact-fulness that never failed, and luo. dignity with which she maintained her position was tempered by her sweetness of nature, as well as set off by her beauty of person 'and grace of manner. In short, she was "made for an Emnress," and ntignt have been "bom in tho purple." otiil, the glitter' which at first appealed to her girlish fancy soon palled on. the ■Tiifo who so fully shared .the ]iPav\ r responsibilities which / rested imoii her hushand's , shoulder?. To the end of her reigtj" phe resolutely sustained the duties and dignities of her high portion, but she had long wearied of them and nail grown almost to ilcsniso tlie pomp aiid grandowv, even although her strong common sense compelled her to recognise that in the Unent, especially tho old punning adaee .holds [rood that 1 majesty stripped of' its externals is a jest!" But sho did not oon* coal from her intimate friends hep desire to cscape from Oriental splendour and to retire, for a timo at any rate, into quieter domestii) life. , ''Ono who knew her," writes to-day; It is almost impossible to believe that Lady Curzon is dead. To fhoscwlis knew her well, it is a thing inconceivable that 'Wt. bright and lovely woman, full of vitality and. fresh, .voiwg strength, at tho very zenith of her life's achievement-, and of her' beauty should be lost to them for ever. Tho memory of that great struggle which, two years ago, -she carried on singlehanded, yet triumphantly, with death, when in the teeth of such illness its almost forbade liopo to her watching friends, only adds bitterness to the unhapny issue of this second tight. One night during the last few months of her stay in India I was sitting beside her at dinner at- Viceregal Lodge. So- well and chocrfiil was sho that the days of tho long, uncertain combat in Walmer. Castle seemed like some halfforgotten and half-smiled-at nightmare. Touching a chord a trifle deeper than the conversation had for the moment struck, I said to her : * I always look upon you as ono risen from the dead.' Sho 'turned toward mo with that direct and level glance, which was ono of her most attractive characteristics, and paused a moment before she answered.. It must have been in a spirit of prohpecy, which mercifully ono did not at that, moment recognise that she. replied, with a tinge of solemnity: 'Yes, bub one may not do those things twice.' 11l the many stories and'reminiscences that now aro naturally crowding forward, each in its way illustrative of Ladv Curcon's activb life and bright and compelling charm, there is proof enough of the single-hearted dovotion to the great duties and responsibilities whioli marked her public life in India from its beginning to its unfortunate close." Tho Times remarks: "She was, it is needless to say, the first American lo whoso lot it fell to share with an English husband tho greatest viceroyalty in tho,world. Bv character, by personal charm, by a raro intelligence. Lady Curzon was admirably and perfectly tilted for this distinction. For she herself had distinction; the distinction which comes of nature. It was said, of her by an Englishwoman, singularly competent to judgo her, that her bearing in this great position was-that of a woman born to it. Of course, sho was not born to it. Hor father was in every sense the architect of his own fortune. It may be permissible to : say that Miss Leiter wus the typical American cirl, but also ono of the highest examples of that ever brilliant and infinitely variable type. Her beauty would, of course, have been thought remarkable anywhere. Educated with ov c ry modern advantage, sho hud the kind of intelligence which education develops and never overloads. ... . Many gifted and distinguished women have in turn adorned tho exalted position which sho " was called to share with Lord Curzon. aiid |it is no small tribute to Lady Ourzon' that she Proved no unworthy successor lo them. ■Deeply interested in her husband's work, she was his constant and devoted helpmeet. Only those who have been iu India know how invaluable 1o the , ruler of India is help of that kind. What impression Lady Curzon's queenly figure made on the assembled princes .and native rulers of India at tho great Coronation Duvfcar of 1903 at. Delhi is known; it has passed into history. At tho famous State ball in the Vulaco of Akbar, which combined ' the pomp and circumstanec'. of tho East and of tho West, she was perhaps, of all the splendid- figures present, lierself the most splendid, nut by many humble fol-k in India) she will be remembered equally for .tho unostentatious acts of personal kindliness by which she was ever at pains to relievo sorrow and distress."

Iho King, on learning of tho death of Lv.ly CurJon. caused io be desuatched a message of deep condolence; tho Prince and Princess of Wales forwarded a similar communication; and Queen Alexandra pent specially to offer her sympathy with tha family. Tho Pope offered his symuaiiiy through tho medium of Motisiinior Tvlee, domestic prelate to his Holiness. Tho American press contains inanv sym-p-.ihetio references to tho death of Lady Carson, who is described generally as " ouo of the most illustrious of American Ijeorojsos." "As a woman," savs one utterance, which is characteristic of scores ct others, "she was beautiful without solfccr.£c:o\isnce3, witty without sharpness, and

had an infinite (opacity for adapting herself lo her environment. She was as much in her clement as th? consort of the; ruler cf npuarils of 300,000,000 -people a-s she had been in political society at Washington. Hut. tho career ot Lady Curzon, "i ' S ! H'' " lm '' re P r * sc f° r a ' on g 'ime Ihohigii. wafer mark of feminine achievement. in ils kind."

General sympathy :s deeply enlisle'd on I.ord Curzon's behalf, and I can hardly remember any previous case in which was displayed such a widespread public feeling of sincere, regret, . . ■