A Great Lady

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 4, Issue 10, 1 April 1926, Page 2

A Great Lady

JF£er Qrace the Marchioness of Aberdeen and em air Cjfhe 'Best "FQiolvn Woman in the World <&y E.M.

From time to time in the history of the nations, down through the centuries, there have been outstanding personalities, both men and women, who have occupied commanding positions and impressed their individuality and powers of leadership upon the people of their own race, and even upon those of neighbouring states. It has been reserved for our' century to furnish such conditions of inter-communi-cation and co-operation between the nations that the stage may be set upon a world-wide scene, where the great ones of the earth enact their parts in the moving drama of the whole human race. Among this illustrious company to-day, Lady Aberdeen fills an honoured role. The League of Nations, the highest achievement of humanity, came into being in 1919 as the result of the desire of poor world-weary humanity, to find a way out of the state of moral, financial and economic bankruptcy, into which it had been plunged by the Great War. But many years before this time the first real League of Nations was formed, when a group of greathearted women met at Chicago, U.S.A. in connection with the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Women representatives from over thirty countries attended this meeting, which brought into active existence The International Council of Women. The Marchioness (then Countess) of Aberdeen, was elected President of the Council, and has ever since been its guiding star and inspiration. f I 'HIS great world-wide organisation of women has to-day affiliated to it National Councils of Women of thirty-nine countries, representing the organised women of practically every civilised race. To the many millions of women belonging to the countless societies and associations affiliated to these great national councils, the name of their world-President, Lady Aberdeen, stands for all that is noblest and best in the aspirations of the thinking women of to-day for the peace and well-being and happiness of humanity. It may therefore truly be said that the world is her kingdom, and she is the best known and most loved woman in the world. Lady Aberdeen, in her Presidential capacity, has taken an active part in many interesting and historical incidents of the past quarter of a century. One of the great moments of her life was on the occasion when she headed a deputation of women from the allied countries, which waited upon the Peace Plenipotentiaries of the League of Nations Commission. As a result of the representations of these women Paragraph 3 of Article VII. of the Covenant of the League was inserted, opening all positions under or in connection with the League of Nations, including the Secretariat, equally to men and women ! T)UT it is of Lady Aberdeen as a woman of charming and gracious personality in the more intimate aspects of life that we would

write now. Additional interest is lent to this sketch by the fact that she has recently, in collaboration with her husband, published two volumes of Reminiscences entitled IVc Tzva, covering their joint experiences throughout the many years they have been in the public eye. In the intriguing pages of the Reminiscences we find the life histories of two singularly beautiful characters, who lived in the closest comradeship and co-operation in all the varied experiences which fell to their lot in the high vice-regal and official positions they filled with

iiiiiii.!iiiil!iiiiiM such distinction and grace. They were truly one, although they call their story We Tzva, and their personalities and experiences were quite distinct. The volumes arc unique in this respect. It is no easy task for even husband and wife to write joint memoirs, but it presents no difficulty in the Aberdeen family, and the result gains from the collaboration—we have one of the most intimate and refreshing biographies of recent years. Lady Aberdeen's Love Story T ADY ABERDEEN has been ■*— 4 her husband’s guide and mentor* in all his undertakings, and his true helpmeet in the many exacting duties of the high official posts he has held from time to time, notably those of Viceroy of Ireland and

Governor - General of Canada. Daughter of Sir Dudley and Lady Majoribanks, she tells us she first met her future husband, who was then the Hon. John Gordon, at Guisachan, while she was recovering from an illness. All she saw of him then was by leaning over the balustrades and catching sight of a very black head. Some days later her interest was quickened in the young man by her mother remarking on the unwisdom of young people marrying without the prospect of adequate means; but, she added, "There are exceptions to the rule,

i!iiiiiii!i!iiniiii!!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!iii;i»iiiiiiiuiii;i!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiin;!iiiiiiinniii;!iniiiii;iiiiuii!iiniirani;iiiini;iin of course. Now, that young John Gordon, who was with us the other day, is just one of those exceptions with whom any girl could he happy even if they had to live on a shilling a day.” This made such a deep impression on the young Ishbcl Majoribanks that she took due note of the testimony and never forgot it. Her first personal acquaintance with that same John Gordon was while out riding in Rotten Row on a very muddy day in February. 1871, when she was fourteen. She says: “He came up to be introduced to us, and came round to my side, and he won my heart right away by not treating me as a child, but talking to me as a rational being.” .... “When emerged from the schoolroom he was my ideal of all that a man

should be, and so he remains until this day.” t I "'HE writer of this sketch was privileged on one occasion to enjoy the gracious hospitality of Lord and Lady Aberdeen at their beautiful Scotch home in the Highlands, near Balmoral. In the course of conversation the visitor ventured to remark : “I have, of course, always known that Lady Aberdeen is a wonderful woman, but I never realised just how wonderful she is until I had the privilege of personal intercourse with her in the simple intimacy of her own home.” Lord Aberdeen, in his charming and gallant manner, replied: “I have known her for sixty years, and my admiration for her increases every week.” What more beautiful testimony could any woman desire? This great lady has the simplicity of greatness ; and she has besides a genius for friendship, for entering into the interests and the joys and sorrows, of the many hundreds of women of every station and type, with whom she comes in contact, by reason of her world-wide interests and friendships. It is no wonder they all love her. Lord and Lady Aberdeen made the “Grand Tour” in the 1880’s, and in the course of their journcyings they spent some time in New Zealand. They still have the most vivid recollections of our country. Lady Aberdeen had considerable skill as a water-colour sketcher, and she has an album of most interesting sketches made by her own hand, of views around Auckland and in the Hot Lakes district. T ORD ABERDEEN— who, by ' the way, is one of the most celebrated raconteurs in Scotland to-day—is fond of telling of a little adventure which Lady Aberdeen had in Auckland on the day they arrived in the city. “Wishing to make the most of the time available before the official functions began, she took a little tour of exploration through the town alone, eventually finding herself at the barracks of the Salvation Army. One of the officers was in attendance at the door. He was a pleasant-looking middleaged man; and, after Lady Aberdeen had asked a few general questions a conversation ensued. After a while the S.A. officer began to describe his own positiion, namely, that of a market gardener, with a comfortable little house in the outskirts of the town, and doing well in his business, with a good balance at the bank. Then, having asked if his new acquaintance was a stranger in Auckland, and learning that she had only arrived that morning, he took time by the forelock, and made a matrimonial proposal, promising to return to England and settle down if this were desired! Lady Aberdeen could not resist allowing the proposal to proceed thus far, but she now felt is necessary to explain that (to adopt, in an opposite sense, the words of the Scottish bard), she already had “a husband and bairnies four.”