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London, Dec. IS.
THE daughter of an Earl, the grand
daughter of a trusted friend of
Queen Victoria, the descendant of
a long line of dukes, appearing nightly at a
common music hall for pay!
( That Is the spectacle that greets the
amusement-loving populace of London. That
Is the spectacle which fills the British aristoc
racy with disgust.
Lady Constance Stewart Richardson Is the
cause of all this commotion. She Is appear
ing nightly at the London Hippodome, where
she goes through a series of bare-foot dances
In the so-called Greek style for the entertain
ment of a very mixed public. Among her
spectators are racetrack touts, publicans, or
saloon keepers, as Americans would say. and
sinners of all classes and both sexes
They feast their eyes upon the bare and
shapely underpinnings of one who has
enjoyed the Intimacy of royalty, and is the
niece of a live duke.
Once before Lady Constance appeared on
the music hall stage. But at that time she
alleged that It was solely for the benefit of a
charity In which she was interested. Society
accepted the explanation as saving the digni
ty of the peerage.
Now there Is no pretence about sweet
charity Lady Constance Is appearing for
money, and for all she can get of IL
Why does she appear for money? Because
she needs ft. That makes her case all the
more shocking to society They cannot even
attribute her conduct to eccentricity.
Lady “Connie’s" dancing Is a combination
of the methods of Maud Allan and Isadora
Duncan. She appears in bare feet; in fact, ’
In bare skin to the knees, and even beyond.
She wears very little in any direction. This
aristocratic performer has discarded the
tights which were once considered quite
Baughty. She gives her spectators a most
satisfying banquet of legs and arms. In this
respect she fully lives up to the example of
her distinguished model. Maud Allan, who
danced Salome in a little transparent gauze
and ( a few shaky jewels.
In'one dance Lady Constance wears a little
garment of blue gauze reaching down to the
knees. Her repertory includes a gay Spring
dance to Grieg music, a march-like triumphant
movement with Tschalkowskl accompani
ment, a funeral dance to Beethoven’s “Fu
neral March," and "Ases Death, with Peer
Gynt music.
Interest was largely concentrated In the
aristocratic performer's extremities, that is
among those who were not overcome with
horror at the thought of her exhibiting them
publicly.
One thing was certain, she had very fine
large feet. Everybody was agreed upon that.
They were entirely free from corns, bunions
and other deformities. Her skin, moreover,
was evidently in excellent condition.
Some of the observers considered her feet
too large Exacting young men. who liked
pink, chubby little feet, were disappointed.
That her ladyship should possess good-sized
feet is really not surprising, for she has been
a great devotee of many sports.
Quite a spirited controversy has now arisen
among the frequenters of the music hall about
The House Where Wicked Agrippina Poisoned Profligate Emperor Claudius
Tnrj nanan arcnaeoiogist, Professor
Vittorio Spinnazzola. has made a
remarkably interesting series of
discoveries at Paestum, a city which, like
Pompeii and Herculaneum, was a Summer
resort o£ the greatest and wealthiest of
the ancient Romans.
The newest and most interesting discov
ery is of a splendid villa, which investiga
tion has shown to have belonged to the
Emperor Claudius, who ruled from 4i to
04 A. D. It even appears probable that he
was living here at the time of his death.
This ruler was an enigmatical character.
Stories of extraordinary profligacy are re
corded of him and yet many great works,
such as the Claudiau aqueduct are credit
to him. Popular interest m him arises
largely from the number of his wives,
among whom was the infarfious Messalina,
and the vast amount of trouble they caused
him.
In the cellar of the newly discovered
villa they found a statue. It was the
statue of the Emperor Claudius. He wore
the priestly garments which a Roman Em-
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ner ladyship’s feet. Some of them maintain
that they are large, bony, unwomanly and flat
The others assert that the taste which re
quires very small feet tn a woman is a bad
one and that Lady Constance’s feet are beau
tiful, because they are strong, well developed
and proportioned to her figure.
If Lady Constance’s present engagemen'
proves a success It will be on account of the
interest In her feet rather than In her art.
Just who is Lady Constance Stewart Rich
ardson, that her appearance on the stage
should create such r. commotion? the Amer
ic "Pder may Inquire.
Well, In the first p?ace she Is the grand
daughter of the late Duchess of Sutherland
who was the mother of the present Duke of
Sutherland The old Duchess was at the very
top of the British aristocracy She was the
most Intimate friend and companlon’of Queen
Victoria. The Queen thought so much of th-
Duchess that she gave her an honor never
conferred before and, in fact, not recognized
by law. .She gave her the Earldom of Crom
artle in her ov n right, with remainder to her
second son. so that the title might not become
merged In the dukedom and thus drop out of
use. [.adv Constance is a child of this second
son. Her older sister is now the Countess of
Croniartle.
Lady Constance married. In 1904, Sir Ed
ward Stewart Richardson, a Scottish baronet,
whose title was created in 1630. His family Is
an ancient one and he holds a very good social
position, but he has no money worth speaking
of. The Baronet has paid several visits to
the Lnited States. He is not exactly well
known there, but Americans must occasional
ly have noticed a quiet, dignified-looking man
tollowing Lady "Connie'' about with a very
worried expression.
It is understood that Sir Edward does not
approve of his wife’s appearance on the stage
I hat does not make much difference one way
or the other. He has never been noticed at
any of her performances.
Lady “Connie” has developed very rapidly
since her marriage. Before that she was
known principally a s a very dashing sports
woman. She was a crack shot, a daring rider
and a splendid swimmer. She was the cham
pion long-distance swimmer of the Bath Club
in London.
Her frequent appearance at the competi
tions of this club In the very scanty costume
worn by English women when swimming ex
cited considerable comment, some of which
was of a favorable nature.
She made her debut as a rifle Bh ot bv en
gaging in the pastime known as “deer stalk
’.ng,' on her Scotch family estates. Later she
• '' cnt to Africa and shot lions and other fierce
beasts, just as Theodore Roosevelt did
Texas has had an opportunity to witn„ o .
her skill as n horsewoman and a rider of buck
ing bronchos She has made several long
stays out there. There is a story that a welb
peror assumed on certain occasions as
holder of the ancient office of "pontifex
maxim us.”
The statue had evidently lain in the
cellar since ancient times. The hands
and feet were broken off. It had been
treated with indignity.
These curious circumstances have led
to the conclusion that this villa was occu
pied by the Emperor at the time he was
poisoned by his fourth wife. Agrippina
The ill-treatment of his statue was the
last proof of her hatred of him.
The first wile of Claudius was Plautia
Ij rgulanilla, whom he divorced because
he suspected her of designs on his Ute.
His second. Aelia Petina, he also divorced.
His third was the infamous Valeria Messa
lina.
Her misdoings were the scandal of the
civilized world. At length, according to
the account of Tacitus. Messalina went
through the ceremony of marriage with
one of her lovers, and. urged by her former
confederate. Narcissus, the Emperor al
lowed her to be seized and Narcissus put
her to death.
The historian Suetonius, however, throws
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A Charming Sketch of Lady "Connie," Drawn by Mi»» Nell Brinkiey Wbea
the Titled Artiste Danced for Charity in New York.
a somewhat different light on the story- 1
making it appear more probable, for he I
tells us that Claudius desired and assisted
the marriage, because he had been warned
by a soothsayer that the husband of M® 4 '
salina was about to fall into misfortune.
He caused this prophecy to come true, tor
he executed the husband as well as Mes
salina.
Thia would seem to be tn accordance
with the character of Claudius, who,
though undoubtedly fond of his wives,
w'aa by no means a fool.
The next auu fourth wife of Claudius
was his niece Agrippina. He was even
more unfortunate with her than with any
of her predecessors. She persuaded him
to set aside his own son Britannicus in
favor of Nero, her son by a former mar
riage. As soon as he had issued the de
cree she poisoned him in order to place
the act beyond recall.
Immediately after his death. It is con
lectured, she defaced the Emperor's statue
in the villa she occupied at Paestum. where I
the evidence of her malignity has just I
been brought to light after eighteen cen j
turles.
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Ihe Statue M th. Emperor Claudius As It Was Found Lymg in the Cellar of the Villa at Pau. turn.
English High
Society Dismayed by
the Spectacle of One of
Their Own Titled IVomen
Appearing for Money
in IVild Dances at the
London Hippodrome
known Texas raiiroau magnate who met Lady
Constance in New York on her way West sent
word to one of his managers on the road to
look out for her and treat her well. The rail
road manager thought the message referred
to a horse, and as he could not find any trace
of the animal in the freight cars he sent out
the following message:
"To Station Agents—Missing, mare Lady
Constance, if any station agent runs across
her feed her and rub her down until you hear
from us.”
Probably the genesis of Lady "Connie's”
present display may be traced to her early ap
pearance in kilts. When she was about
eighteen she entertained a large house party
by dancing the sword dance, wearing kilts of
the Mackenzie tartan, to which she is entitled
by birth. The kilts then were quite long, over-
Janping the tops of her stockings by several
Inches. Nevertheless, when her dancing be
came lively the sight was quite interesting.
The noble and fashlonab’e guests applauded
her efforts enthusiastically There were,
however, quite a few who recalled .how
shocked her gracious Majesty Queen Victoria
would have been at the sight of a young lady
of the aristocracy behaving in this manner.
It showed how the manners of English society
had changed since the climax of the Victorian
period.
After the warm reception of the first effort
Lady "Connie” shortened up the kilts per
ceptibly. But it was not until after her mar
riage that she gratified society with a full view
of the extremities with which nature had
gifted her. Her performances inspired this
lively passage in a very skittish book on Eng
lish society by Harry Graham:
"Ginger Hazleton had an exciting affair with
a Mrs. Carter-Pickford, to whom he made love
at an entertainment for the cause of Woman’s
Rights, while a professional singer was
ploughing his way through a cycle of twenty
seven songs by Brahms.
"It was only when a lady of title who had
thoughtfully divested herself of most of her
• lothing started to dance that they began to
take an Interest In the entertainment.”
One of her dances represented Salome, tho
daughter of Herodias, dancing before King
Herod. Salome was ror a time the resourcs
es every dancer who wanted to be wicked.
I.ady “Connie" did a Salome dance at a
Duke’s house, before the late King Edward.
His Majesty had dined •veil, according to his
custom, and doubtless the performance looked
good to him. At the conclusion he asked Lady
"Connie,” after the manner of King Herod,
what reward he could give ner. She bent her
knee to the ground and answered:
“Sir Ernest Cassel’s head as a charger,
Sire.”
Now, Sir Ernest Cassel, who was present at
the party, was King Edward’s favorite finan
cial adviser, and negotiated loans for hint
when he needed them badly. King Edward
answered Lady "Connie's” jest with his usual
tact by saying:
"Won’t Sir Ernest Cassel's check as a
charger do Just as well?’’
Soon after this exhibition Lady "Connie*
went to New York She danced there for her
favorite philanthropy. Just what it is nobody
seems to remember. It cost ?10 a head to see
her.
At this stage the general comment was thal
her dancing was amateurish. To relieve hep
self of this reproach she worked several years
with professional teachers of stage dancing.
Now she has made her appearance as a regu
lar professional dancer.
It would be difficult to exaggerate the po
sition which I.ady "Connie’s” family has held
in British society. Their titles are ancient
The prestige of royal friendship has enveloped
them. Her uncle, the Duke of Sutherland, is
the greatest land owner in the United King
dom. He owns 1,400,000 acres oT land.
But there have been signs that all is not
well with the Duke A few years ago he gave
’in his ancestral palace. Trentham Hall, in the
Midland Counties. Within a few weeks he has
sold the family residence in London, Stafford
House, the largest house in the metropolis.
Now it is reported that he may go to live in
Western Canada.
A good many English people feel that the
ad of the world is coming. When the Duke
of Sutherland cannot keep up his houses, and
his niece appears on the music hall stage for
pay. what is going to become of our ancient
nnbiltv?