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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1919)
1 - i THE OREGON SUNDAY JOIJRNAJ PORTLAND, SUNDAY: : MORNING, JUNE 1, 1019. Lady Diana Manners, and Enormous ealtk, Surrenders Her Heart to tke Sdm of a London Doctor ursuei cores o: en TitL T-yOMANCE is not dead yet in the TT world, though some gloomy persons seem torthink it Is. Indeed we are go ing to hear of many a modern romance more wonderful even Jban anything that happened in the legendary days of chivalry. Lady Diana Manners, England's most famous beauty and daughter of England's proudest duke, has become engaged to the eon of a mere doctor. She could have married almost any dis engaged man In England, or in Europe prince, duke or millionaire. Not a few heirs to American millions sighed in hope less adoration of her. And now she ac cepts the son of a doctor. . The fortunate bridegroom-elect is Cap tain Duff Cooper, who served with credit In the Grenadier Guards during the war, but was of relatively small impor- y tance in the vast mass of " leaders and soldiers engaged . In that struggle. In an army where there are over a thou- -sand general officers, what is captain? Captain Cooper's father was of quite plebeian birth. Toward the end of his Career he achieved considerable success as a surgeon, but that does npt mean much in a social sense. In fact, doctors, have seldom been admitted on a footing of equality to the society of the nobility and the . higher social circles generally in England. Of course, we Americans, who have no " false artificial conceptions regarding birth anf wealth; would say that such men as the late Doctor Cooper were the best in England educated, cultured, of service to humanity, and so on but we can also un derstand the immense (barriers created by the age-long worship of caste in Great Britain end hew often, too often, they have iield asunder loving, human hearts. . And this brings U3 to an understanding of the great change in social conditions and the altered point of view of a ducal, family that have made such an engagement possible. Before the war Lady Diana Manners was "known as the' most c'aprlclous and extrava gant beauty In England, with not a little of the pride and haughtiness for which her family was noted. It was well known that the most eligible princes, dukes and earls In England were suitors for her hand, but while she smiled upon several of them In ' succession, she always fpund at last that they could not pass the supreme test of her critical taste. - Once she was a member of a gay boat ing party up the Thames. A prominent young nobleman fell overboard in the dark ness and was drowned. Lady Dina P" peared at the inquest in deep mourning, a tribute usually paid by women only to rela tives or men to whom they are engaged. She looked the picture of tragic sorrow and her appearance touched everybody. t How deeply her heart was concerned in this affair Is a mystery, but after it Lady Diana plunged into social gayety with more reckless abandon than ever. Tojsay that she was the brightest social star in England is but feeble expression. An unmarried girl Isnot supposed to be a social leader. Lady Diana was more. She was the Incomparable attraction whose presence made every gathering she at tended the foremost social affair of the day, " She was not only the leading attraction of court functions and aristocratic parties, but also of semi-public affairs such as ba saars and charitabje undertakings. An in teresting example of he popularity was given at a great bazaar. The main feature of the affair was the sale of a pearl necklace quite liberally valued at $10,000 whligh had been presented to the charity. Every advance in the price paid would, of course, benefit the affair Lady Diana " placed the necklace on her shapely bosom and after a few moments of spirited bidding sold it for .$20,000 more than twice its value. It was well known that the extraordinary number and richness of her costumes placed I an almost unbearable burden' on her father, the Duke pJLRutland, who- for a man of his rank is not particularly wealthy. Every day, or oftener; she startled- the world with some new costume or fashion. N Her appearance jkt a reception attired as Juliet, in fifteenth century Florentine costume f scarlet velvet trimmed with Several of the Latest Portrait of Lady Diana Manners, Who Is Sxid to Be the Most Photographed Woman in the World and Who Devoted to Army Charities the Proceeds of Sales jof Her Photographs. ft." s, - -i "1 LALLtE CHAKUKS f.Mi' A lv-(' " w flit .. v : M 111 V& ;v. J- A t IT,-- A Very Popular Photograph of Lady Diana. real pearls, was but one of her innumer able displays of daring. To vary the very- conventional, strictly prescribed costume in which she had to make her debut at Court was quite a' problem, but she overcame it triumphantly. Lady Diana was the youngest of three very beautiful and picturesque sisters. Th,e other two. Lady Marjorie and Lady Violet Manners, .. both now- married to noblemen of high rank, seemed to enjoy the highest possible social success,, but In fact Lady Diana was to eclipse them completely. Her sisters had j simply paved the way for her glory, i . - Here it is interesting, to note, that Lady Diana Is a direct descendant of Dtorothy Vernon, of Haddon Hall, one of the most picturesque heroines of Elizabethan, days. Those who remember that' very stirring American novel, "When Knighthood Was in Flower," will doubtless see some strik ing points., of resemblance between It. heroine, Dorothy Vernon, and her descend ant. Lady Diana Manners. Jorothy Vernon was the last representative of the Vernons of Haddon HalL and she married Sir John Manners, the ancestor of the present Duke of Rutland. Haddon Hall, one of the most beautiful places in England, Is still in the possession of the Rutland family. Tbeir principal country seat, however, is Belvoir Castle, an immense place. The Duke owns 62,000 acres of the land. The members of the house of Manners, like the Howards, the Cavendishes, the Cecils and a few others, belong to a. group of families that feel there is nothing higher than themselves in England. They pay . homage to the King on account of his posi tion, but they feel that from a strictly fam ily point of view he scarcely reaches their altitude. The present Duke's father in his youth wrote some rather noted verses, in which occurred these interesting lines: -"Let wealth and commerce, laws and learn ing die, But leave us still our old nobility." . Small wonder that Lady Diana Manners, who possessed quite extraordinary' beauty in addition to all the advantages, of rank, great estates and ancient and romantic " family traditions, should have been an ob ject pf universal adoration. Several princes of the British royal fam-. ily and of several continental reigning houses were madly in love with her and begged for her hand upon their knees. , It has been decided recently that the mem ,bers of the British royal family should not seek their mates among foreign ' reigning families, but rather among prominent Eng lish families of the nobility or possibly among Colonial or American families. Under this policy there could have been f wealth thatwere placed at' Lady Diana's feet, she capri ciously rejected them and con tinued her career of breaking hearts. At the beginning - of the great war a strange tragedy entered ' Lady Diana's life ; which doubtless affected her subsequent actions very much. AH who- knew- anything about her realized that,- though she was ' capricious and -extravagant, she always had a tender and sensitive heart. . This tragedy came out, strange to say. In an inquiry at Chicago, quite accidentally. After America's entry into the war Count James Minotto, a young Italian nobleman with German relations, who married the daughter of Louis Swift, of Chicago, was examined on the' suspicion . of having secret - communications with I German of ficials. . ' . Minotto proved that some at least of his "communications were made at the request of Lady' Diana Manners to find the where abouts of an English officer. Major H. C. Johnston, of the Scots Greys, who had dis appeared during the retreat jfrom Mons. Minotto found that the major was fatally wounded and a prisoner of the Germans. The count succeeded m Bending the of- ' fleer a message an hour before he died, reading: "Lady Diana Manners .sends her best wishes and kindest thoughts." Lady Diana evidently thought a great deal of the deceased officer, for she sent a cable to Count Minotto, saying: "Infinite thanks for endless trouble and ' t - ' . Mv:.-ij;. x-ymnn ;: " i f " ' ' . h- '" Air ' a: I 'ft: -' -;y E.O.Hqppe great many together can suffer fortitude than if one feels sing! the calamities. .There is no one left at the front of my friends now. They are all killed, but next week a lot more go, and then the anxiety begins again. I go into a hospital to-morrow for three months,. pre paratory fjr trying to get to France with a small staff of nurses and doctors, but it is difficult to manage, although such enter-. r prises are required in the extreme.- Buti money is as scarce as miracles, and that is with more Lady Diana found the solution." - Her ed out for 'photographs she knew had been extremely popular from the moment she entered society. One of the first that created a profound impression showed her garbed a her namesake, Diana,, drawing her deadly bow. The beauty of the pose and its perfect symbolism, with regard to one: who was breaking so many . hearts, . im . pressed everybody. She is now "the most photographed woman in the world." She decided to sell no more fitting bride for an English prince sympathy. Shall never forget. than Lady Diana Manners. . She would have been1 immensely popular as' Queen of England or in. any position near to ' the throne. . ". . . ' ' There Is no doubt that she could have occupied such a position. While theDuke of Rutland may feel that his blood Ja bluer than that of the King, It is evident that relationship -to the reigning house still gives a social authority that must be very, tempting to a woman. But, however, boundless the power and Copyright,: 1919, by Star Company. Later she wrote this Interesting letter which gives a remarkable pieture of the spoiled, society beauty's sad state of mind at this stage of her 'life: "My Dear Count Minotto: - "I do not know how I 'shall ever thank you for your trouble and sympathy and great goodness.- People are wonderful, and you. among the best It is an'awful story and only one in a million. England is very black, and every heart is very i sad, but "a . ... - ,. .s . " ; i ; t Great'Britaln 'Rights Reserved. the foundation of any scheme. I am so all her photographs and use the proceeds for the support of her hospital and Soldiers' Aid Society. The knowledge that the money was to be used for this purpose naturally greatly Increased the sale of th photographs which In any case would have been very great. Qbe was able to collect many thousands of dollars a year in this way during the last three years, and the income is said to be till increasing. While working bard at her hospital Lady Diana met Captain Cooper and helped to save the lives of several of his men. All the pride, extravagance and frivolity frightened in the hospitals. "I wake up in the hospital ' at night trembling, frightened by sights and lone liness and squaMd Jobs, , but it is better than knitting socks, which every woman you see here does incessantly. Isn't my spelling funny? Do forgive. I never writ in consequence, but you have be n- so won? derful that I must thank you. "Yours, . "DIANA MANNERS." The petted darling of society did indeed throw herself: into her hospital 'vork with all the energy she possessed. She became completely transformed. She vfas as se- of the former darling' of society had disap- nous as soe naa once seen capricious ana pearea. only Her beauty remained, per- extravagant. But how was she to get money for the enterprises nearest her heart, fori that com modity had beepme, as she expressed it. 'scarce as miracles 7 haps greater than ever. She who might have occupied the higb est position in Europe accepted with thank ful heart the companionship for life of the modest captain of Infantry, t