People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 14, 7 April 1904, Page 10

People We Hear About

If I mistake not (writes a correspondent of the lireemian's Journal '), the head of the family of Coppinger, of Ballyvolane, is General John Joseph Coppinger, 01 the United States army. General Coippmger won his first renown as a captain in the Pope's Irish Lriga.de in 1859 in 1861 he offered his sword to the American Government, and he received a captain's commission. He served all tihrough the Civil War, and obtained the rank of major-general when he was retired lour years ago. General Cqppmger married the eldest daughter at the American statesman, Mr. James G. Blame, and James Gillespie Blame Coppanger, the grandson 01 the American statesman and the son of the general, will in time be called on to prove himself worthy of a ra,ce m which the best blood of Ireland and America flows. Young Coppinger has been educated at the Jesuit College at Georgetown, where he has gwen golden promise of a brilliant future.

Kathenne Tynan, as Mrs. Katiherine Hinkson will always be known to a wide circle of readers, celebrated her birthday the other day. She was born at Whitehall, Clondalkui, Co. Dublin, the residence oi her father, Mr. Andiew Tynan, who belongs to the class kmown in Ireland as gentlemen farmers. Whitehall is a charm ng place, and 1,0 it Kathenne lynan loves to leturn. Her iathei, the owner of Whitehall, has the hospitable chiuacteiisties ot his race, and is a line type of liisilmiiam. Kathenne Tynan's husband, whom she marned in 1893, is the son of a man of Cork, and a giad,uate<oi Tninty College, Dublin. Mr. Hinkson is an author also, and m one ot his eaily books— a humorous account of hie in and around Trinity College— he introduced some newspaper scenes, which were capitally done.

The D,uke of Norfolk, says the ' Daily News,' retains quite a number oi feudal privileges. Whenever he so uesnes, he may demand from the Committee of Defence and the Inspectoi-Gexieial an escort oi cavalry. When an English Sovereign is crowned, the Duke ot Norfolk is entitled to receive a golden wi'm>cup. But, apart irom these ceremonial rights, the present Duke, regardless of dress and silent in manner, occupies a position of his own in the public estimation. Certain stories about him have become classical. He has been ordered to get out of the way of his own carnage. Old ladies visiting his grounds have scolded him tor not obeying the pimied instructions to ' Keep oil the giass ' As Positmabtei-Ceneral lie v\as on one occasion only able to secjure attention Irom a clerk by addressing a telegiam to St Mai tm's-le-G rand signed ', Norfolk, Post-master-Genera,! '

Death lias claimed a lady in the person of the Marchioness oi (Queens beiry who at one time took a prominent paitj in lush aflairs. She died at Glen Stuart, Vnnaii, at the ach auced age of 83 years. Born in Ireland ot an ancient and distinguished lannly, she lived foL tv) years m the neighborhood of Ban try, but never afler\, irus saw the land of her birth. By her mother's side she was descended from the O'Donnells, and her •ather was descended ltom the Lord Mayor who brought William Itfie Thud into London. She was married at the age of seventeen to the icpresentative of the Douglas of Scotland She suilered several domestic tuals. Her husband w* accidentally shot through the heart while treading his native heath- Her second son, Lord Francis Douglas— a blight and brave youth— fell from the Matterhorn, and was killed at the age of eighteen. About the year IStjl she embraced the Catholic faith, and in order to prevent her children being taken from her she was obliged to Qy the country and hide abroad. Police were after her everywhere— they went to America, even to Australia, m search of her — at las>t she was discovered in France She wrote to the Emperor, Napoleon the Thi^p, an old fi lend of her family, and he at once assured her that the law of France did not take a child from its mjother on any consideration, and that that law would give her protection. She was thus enabled to make her own terms with the Court of Ses--sioins, and so, after a long and painful struggle, the brave, devoted mother triumphed. Her children, therefore, were all Catholics, with the exception of the eldost soTi, who was at sea at the time Prior to 1867 he-i name was practically unknown in Ireland, but m lhal year took place the execution of Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien at Manchester, and Uie Maichioness. believing them innocent of the crime imputod to them, entered a strong protest against their condemnation, and showed her practical sympathy by taking charge of their families and providing for them.