The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 20, 1898, Page 19

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1898. “WHAT T, «I'M AFRAID THAT I'M NOT AT DUTIES, BUT I'LL DO MY BEST." N and out, with shining threads, a wove a beautiful castle in Spain. The woof was imagination, and the warp was fantasy, and in her dream hours she but rubbed her Aladdin’s lamp, and lo! she stood beside her Beautiful. & the castle had an uncomfortable of crumbling to pi in the e of the sunlight. Sometimes after ng day's work she could not gather up the broken threads, and as the v into years, in the face of > the lamp de- | pigeon hole thered dust belief in Santa >mory, wh with her lost ce Hotel, central.” the his wife as M Sadie ittle office boy who de- to the guests of the Sadie.” week Dame Fortune cular “central” and— Holmes of San Fran- iss WILL DO WHEN Story of a San Francisco Jelephone Girl Who Has Suddenly Inherited a Title | A i, s called Lady Sarah Brether- of a real castle in Wales. r modest little home on a d street hill to ancestral s ore daring ln‘up] n in her wildest of imagination, and most people have grown dizzy at the very but Miss Holmes takes to her as though it was any ordin- I going to do with my new 11" and Lady Sarah aight Spanis - d up thoughtfully fr curling Spanish eye- had e outhern parentage. | ) FOR?" [+] EERESSES in their own right, as the phrase goes, are very scarce articles among the British aristoc- racy. In fact, there are only eight ladies who enjoy this high distinction, and to become a peer- ess Miss Sadie Holmes, or Lady Bretherton, as she is now styled, would have had to succeed as di- rect heir one of these ladies. A glance at the list shows this is not the case. The peeresses in their own right are: Lady Mona J. T. Stapleton of Beaumont. Lady Louise M. Milman, Baron- ess of Berkeley. Lady Emma H. Tyrwhith, Bar- oness of Berners. Lady Burdett Coutts, Baroness. Lady Marcia A. M. Ahderson- 0000000 00000000 QR000O0000 “Well?” T queried interrogatively, as she still hesitated. “Oh,” breaking into a soft laugh, and showing her pretty white teeth, “I have so many thousands and thou- ands of plans, they play hide and ek in my head all day long. But I'm afraid they would look very silly in nt. Don’t you think so?” And she ded me with a pretty mixture of erment and embarrassment. LOVE 'PRETTY THINGS—ISN'T THAT WHAT THEY'RE MADE Illustrations From Photographs. 00000000000000000000000000800C000000CC00000000000000000 TITLE AND ESTATE OF THE TELEPHONE GIRL. Pelham, Countess of Yarborough. Lady Sibell L. Mackenzie, Countess of Cromartie. Lady Emily Smith, Viscount- ess of Hambleden. Lady Susan A. Macdonald, Bar- oness Macdonald of Earnscliffe. Lady Bretherton does not get her title from any of these ladies. She gets it from the Pope, who long ago appointed an ancestress a Marchesa. She cannot, there- fore, claim to belong in any way to the British aristocracy, for the papal title is purely honorary and recognized only within the church. If Miss Holmes had beenbrought CCO000O00C0000000000000000000000000 up a Protestant she could not have claimed the title at all, but her baptism at Lima, in Peru, entitles her to the honor. pause, “that my father married my mother in Panama. I was born in Lima, Peru, and baptized a Catholic, otherwise I could not have inherited the title. By the will of my grand-aunt, Lady Jane Bretherton, I am to receive that portion of the estate that is in Wales. Papa’'s estate is distant from it a three hours’ railway trip. At first I was heartbroken at the thought of living that far away from the rest of the family. But now I've settled all that. How? Oh, it's an easy matter, once you've thought it out.” Why, I'll visit them one-half the time and they’'ll visit me the other half. “The very first thing I'm going to at- tend to, when we are settled over there, is the children's schooling. There are four in the family younger than I am— three boys and one girl—and I intend that they shall have every advantage and® opportunity. Being their oldest sister I feel as much responsibility in the matter as mamma or papa. At my age I realize the importance of educa- tion, while the children think of noth- ing but the fun. “I'm twenty-one, you know,” she said quite frankly, “and I'm afraid that I'm not at all fitted to take up my new duties, but I'll do my best. There's a little village that belongs to the estate and they say It is in a terrible condi- tion. It will make me so happy to fix up the houses and help the tenants. T'll have the little church so beautiful, and the priest will help me to help my people.” She evidently feared that she had said “my people” in a patronizing man- ner, for she leaned forward and, with sincere anxiety, sald: ‘“Please don’t think that I'm proud or that this title and the money have turned my head. I'm not ashamed of having worked for my living. I'm very, very glad that I've had the experience, because I'll know how to sympathize with others who work. I'll always hold the friends T have here just as dear as any of the new ones that I may make in my new home. ‘ “Will T go Into society? T haven't thought much about that.” Then press- ing her pink palm against her pinker cheeks, “Not for a year anyway. I'll have too many other things to do and to think about. Besides attending to my new duties I want to find time to read and study music. Just think of being able to have the finest of teach- ers! I don’t care for society anyway. 1 would rather have a few good friends who really care for me,” and my Lady Bretherton looked wistfully 00DNO000C00C000000000 Still the lady is a scion of a ‘'great English house, that of Bar- on Gerard. Early in the present century one of the junior mem- bers of this family, Sir John Cansfield, married a certain Mary Bretherton, who came of a good, though untitled, North of Eng- land family. Her husband dying, the lady married a second time Gilbert Stapleton, a brother of Lord Beaumont, and owing to her devotion to the church the Pope afterward created her a Mar- chesa. The title passed to Jane Breth- erton, who owned a seat in Wales, and now, with all its attendant wealth, it has come to the lucky “hello” girl. 0000000000000 000000C0O000Q0 at several photographs scattered about the room. “I hope,” she continued, brightening, when a tear that had tried to trickle down her cheek had been furtively wiped away, “I hope that my home will need fixing up. I'd love to be able to do it myself just as I want it. T'll have beautiful furnfture and flowers and pictures and books—" She closed her eyes on the tiny room about her as her «| DON'T CARE FOR SOC FEW GOOD FRIENDS WHO REALLY ETY; | WOULD RATHER HAVE JUST A COMC INTO MY TITLE’ 19 and Estate in Walgs. «| HAVE SO MANY. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PLANS— THEY PLAY HIDE AND SEEK IN MY HEAD ALL DAY LONG. i | ! thoughts dwelt on the beautiful new home that was awaiting her. “I love pretty things—isn't that what they’'re made for?—to be loved? And I suppose I'll be able to carry out all my other plans and still have enough left for pretty clothes and jewels. “I've asked all my dear friends to visit me and they’'ve all promised they would. There’s one 1 want especially to come,” and she paused musingly. “And she has consented. It's my chum. We’ve been friends ever since we were, little tots and made mudpies.” “Then the way is clear for some lord who will carry you off. You may still come into another title and estate,” I ventured, again. “Oh, I'm afraid I haven't the proper amount of respect for a title. I'm very much of an American still. I think I always will be.” —_— e “I must say,” rem: ed Stayathome, “that 1 cannot understand why you took your wife with you to the Klon- dike. I should have thought that in a place like that a woman would be sim- ply in the way.” “Not ¢n your life,” said the miner who had just returned with $100,000. “In faect, it was through her that I made my pile in such a short time.” : Whenever I dis- I'd point it out to Maria, and in less than five minutes she'd have extracted every grain of gold that it contained.” —_——————————— His Lordship—I am deeply interested in the new gold discoveries. Friend—You don’t think of going to the Klondike, do you? His Lordship—Oh, no! But I thought | of advertising that I should be glad to communicate with any successful miner who might happen to have an unmarried daughter.—Puck. ———————————— ‘Macauley—Golding is foolish to go ta Alaska; so sensitive to cold, you know. Somers—He has had. his union suits CARE FOR ME." Jined with mustard plasters. SGORY OF A SAN FRANISCAN WHO PROCLAIMED HIMSELF KING Adventurous Gareer and Tragic Death of Harden-Hickzy. Y the suiclde of Baron Harden- Hickey there has passed away of the most unique charac- s of the times. A few might ss him as an adventurer, but t approach he has ever made | tics of such a being having wooed and won the | ter of the rich oil magnate, H. | ler. Inasmuch as he was never | to tap the well filled oil tanks | rich father-in-law, Baron Har- one turer. One hundred years ago he might ve cut quite a figure in the affairs of ation which he chose to honor ith his presence. In the days of the | feudal system he no doubt would have been the most turbulent Baron of them all, or in.the days of the Crusades he | would have unfurled a banner around ‘ which would have gathered the chiv- | alry of the times. But In these modern | times he was fated to be but a man | heard of, but whose power was unfelt. 3aron James A. Harden-Hickey was born in San Francisco December 8, 1854, and the past four years of his life | were spent in Southern California. | With his bride of one year he in 1894 | took up his residence on South Hill | street, Los Angeles, spending a portion of their time at Santa Monica. Two | years ago he bought one of the most beautiful residences in Riverside. The s intervening between the day of irth in San Francisco and his s had crowded his coming to Los Angeles ¥ into them more romances, ambitions, disappointments, well conceived d misspent forces, and through a tinge of chivalry, than has fallen to the lot of but few men. The Hickey family first attained celebrity as adherents to the dethroned Stuarts, and for this they were ban- jshed from the United Kingdom and sought refuge in France. Some mem- ber of the Hickey family has ever from that day played a more or less promi- nent part in national intrigues and pol- itics, but always on the losing side. Baron Harden-Hickey was educated at ihe Jesuit College at Namur, and was | sent to Leipsic for the finishing touches. His career can be said to have begun when he was nineteen years of age. At that time he entered the Military Col- lege at St. Cyr, but at the death of his father in 1873 he came into consliderable property and concluded that he would prefer a life devoted to sculpture and the arts rather than a military career. He left the school at St. Cyr to beginhis career as a literary man. At first he did not receive much encouragement, but that the business was unprofitable @id not matter to the young baron, for tne enjoyed a good income and was not any way dependent upon his pen hopes, plans and 1 it all running earnings. He made his first literary hit by translating a nu r of French sto- ries for the English” magazines. The experience he gained in this line seems to have been just what he was want- ing, for he then began to write stories in French that were acceptable to the Parisians. He had attained some repu- tation as a writer on the Continent, and in 1878 started in Paris a weekly pa- per, which he named La Triboulet, and which he soon made the leading satir- ical paper not only of Paris, but of all Europe. When Baron Harden-Hickey | started in to do a thing he did it re- gardless of feeling of friend or foe, or other results. He applied the same pol- icy to the conduct of La Triboulet, and a result he made no less than one hundred and fourteen appearances in the police courts, and his exchequer was depleted to the extent of some- thing over 300,000 francs as the result of his having written what he thought. It was while editor of La Triboulet that Baron Harden-Hickey attained a national reputation as a duelist. His hot TIrish blood caused him to disdain making these the conventional French affairs. They were to a finish and the other fellow was always the one fin- ished. Among his more notable antag- onists were Aurelian Scholt, A. Laver- tujon, Taine and De Cyon. A feature of his dueling was that it | was purely an affair of honor, and po- litical honor at that, for there was rever a lady in the case. ‘Whatevar else may be charged to him Baron Harden-Hickey can hardly be classed as a lady’s man in the worldy sense of | the term. It was while editor of La Triboulet that Baron Hickey also attained fame as the leading boulevardier of Paris and for a time he set the fasnion, and was regarded not only as the best dressed man in Paris, but the recog- nized leader of a most exciusive and refined set that devoted its tlme 1o fashion for fashion’s sake and went through the ordeal untainted by its wicked frivolities. Between his life as a fashionable boulevardier, a duelist, attendance at the Police Courts and the editorial management of La Triboulet, Baron Harden-Hickey found himself the most talked-of man in Paris. As he rose on the tide of prosperity and fame he became still more aggressive until his boldness and audacity became fr- repressible, and he was ordered to leave France. The French Govern- ment could not suppress him in any other way. But Baron Harden-Hickey was one of the world’s irrepressibles. Eng- land was too slow for him, and think- ing America might afford a wider field for a man of Ifs adventurous disposi- tion he went to New York. There was another reason for his leaving the old continent. At the time when he had reached the high tide of prosperity and popularity in Paris he had married a beautiful and talented French lady, the Countess de Saint Perry. She had Coat of Arms of Baron Harden-Hickey. died, and this, together with his hav- ing been expelled from his adopted country, France, preyed on his mind until he concluded to break away from all old associates, and he sought a new field for his talents in America. He was received in New York as a Baron. He was petted gnd lionized to a degree more extensively than falls to the lot of most Barons upon their first ap- pearance in America, but Baron Har- den-Hickey was a unique figure that stood out in bold reliefinany surround- ings. - He had acquired an Intimate knowl- edge of the Sanskrit language, and after studying its literature he became a convert to Buddhism. Later he de- termined to propagate the religion of Buddha throughout the United States. He soon became the literary hero of the day, and his writings were in de- mand by the magazines and standard publications of the world. His. brilliant style and the deep knowledge of the subject of his essays won for him a place among the foremost writers of his time. About six years ago he met, wooed and won Miss Anna Flagler, the daughter of the Standard Oil mag- nate, John H. Flagler. For some rea- son or other soon after his marriage to Miss Flagler hegabandoned his ideas of spreading th gospel of Buddha throughout the United States. Whether or not he fully gave up his new found faith is not known, but it is hinted that his persistent belief in Buddhismn had something to do with the differ- ences which afterward arose between himself and wife. For a time he apparently dropped out BARON HARDEN-HICKEY, (From a photograph.) of sight, or at least he disappeared from public view, only to come still more prominently to the front a-little later as James I of Trinidad. Baron Harden-Hickey was ever a castle builder, but they were not the massive stone affairs which might adorn his colonial estates, but of the thin, light, airy, visionary sort which some people are wont to call ‘‘castles in the air.” The kingdom of Trinidad was one of Baron Harden-Hickey’'s most pic- turesque castles. A few years ago he went on a trip round South America by the merchant sailing vessel Astoria, commanded by Captain Jackson. An exceptionally flerce South American storm arose, which drove the bark far out of her course. By the time the storm had abated the Astoria was lying to off the Island of Trinidad. Now the Island of Trinidad does not cut very much of a figure as an island. In fact, some geo- graphers have forgotten to put it on their map, but a little thing like that did not disconcert Baron Harden- Hickey. He wanted a kingdom of his own, and as the Island of Trinidad seemed to have been overlooked by every one else in tne want of earthly possessions Harden-Hickey planted his flag and took possession of the island. It was in the spring of 1394 that Baron Harden-Hickey proclaimed himself to the world as ruler of the Island of Trinidad. He had carefully laid his plans and his agents in the United States began to look for subjects for the new king, who had styled himself James I of Trinidad. Heretofore no one, not even the poli- ticians, had bothered themselves about Trinidad. When it became known that a new king had arisen the unique idea attracted the attention of the newspa- pers, and much space was given to ex- ploiting the ideas of the new king and his domain. James I proved to be an exceptionally good press agent. It was not long before he had attracted the heads of the great nations and they began to figure to themselves that if the Island of Trinidad was of any value to James I it might also prove of value to one of them. Brazil claimed it as / her own, and old England, who was[ never known to allow any old rocks to | lie around loose without putting the | stamp of the broad arrow thereon, con- cluded that Trinidad belonged to her. Despite the protest of James I, the island was taken possession of by an English cable company. Among the adjuncts to the court of James I was the office of Chancellor of the Princi- | pality of Trinidad. It was filled by | Comte J. de la Boissiere, who was one of the most faithful, as well as vigor- | ous, subjects of James L The ire of James I was aroused ani so was that of the Chancellor of the Principality of Trinidad. The Ministers Plenipotentiary at Washington, those of England and Brazil, were appealed to, and James I even went so far as to say that he was ready to declare war, and, what is the most amusing part of it, he meant every word of it. He was just that sort of a fellow. He would have thought nothing, in fact, under | circumstances he might consider it his imperative duty to challenge the Prince of Wales, as the representative of the English nation, or the President of Brazil, to fight a duel; that would have | been his style of warfare. | The Island of Trinidad was finally | awarded to Brazil, but by this time the | ardor of Baron Harden-Hickey had | cooled somewhat, and he was about | ready to abandon his scheme of colo- nization anyway. It had also become | known to the world that Trinidad was | only of value as a possible coaling sta- tion, and that about the only means | of livelihood it afforded was as a fish- | ing station, and a not very attractive one at that. Colonists for the new | kingdom were not forthcoming in | great numbers and this, too, ratheri discouraged the head of the new nation. The plan of government laid down by James I seems to have been a sort of compromise between that of a republic and a kingdom, with a few of the pre- rogatives of an absolute monarch thrown in. A constitution was drawn up and a code of laws adopted by the King and his Chamber of Deputies. Currency and postage stamps were is- sued. James I even went so far as to seek admission. to the International Postage Union, but his postage stamps were never recognized as of value ex- cept as souvenirs. He distributed a few of these to his most intimate freinds in Los Angeles, and they treasure them as curiosities. A navy was secured properly offi- cered with admiral, commander and a full staff of titled dignitaries and one ship. The navy was a second-hand bark that had about outlived the days of usefulness as a merchantman and was ready to retire to a dignified old age. When not used indefendingthe few old buildings comprising the solitary port of Trinidad the navy carried the mails over to Brazil. It was the in- tention of James I to model his king- dom on the principle and the teach- ings of gentle Guatama. It was evi- dent from ,this that no matter what nis wife’s views may have been on the subject, Baron Harden-Hickey was still a Buddhist at heart. James I believed in valor and its re- ward. He instituted the Order of De Chavliere and laid in a good stock of gay golden crosses with which to dec- orate his subjects when they had won his esteem for deeds of daring and chivalry. The principality of Trini- dad was also designed as a sort of haven of rest for letters, art and sci- ence. Those who excelled in any of these were to find favor and decora- tion at the hand of the head of the | principality. After abandoning his kingdom, Bar- on Hickey, with his wife, visited South- Lern California and there invested in property. Whether it was an innate characteristic, or that he had been em- bittered by many disappointments, be made but few friends in the City of the Angels. On the other hand, Mrs. Hickey, who is a woman of great charm of character, and who, while very exclusive and diffident in forming acquaintances, had a large circle of friends and is highly respected by all who know her. While in Los Angeles Baron Harden- Hickey devoted most of his time to his family, correspondents, study, a little writing and but few pleasures. ~ He received but very little attention at the hands of newspapers, except on one occasion, when the chancellor of the principality of Trinidad had by some diplomatic move at Washington again sbrought the personality of James I be- His peculiarities came fore the public. dealings with to the surface even in his reporters. It was not every one to whom he would give his story. To get a good story one had to be per- sonally known to Baron Harden-Hic- key. It was his practice when he met a reporter for the first time to start in and interview the reporter himself. If, after a little talk with the new-made acquaintance, he con- cluded that the reporter belonged in the class known as “sticks,” he would immediately shut up as close as a clam and not a word could be got out of him. If, however, he concluded that the reporter knew his business and could write a good story the Bar- on would start in and give all the in- formation desired. He had the fac- ulty of presenting his views in a clear, forceful, yet entertaining man- ner. He seemed to know intuitively what would be interesting to the re- | porter and he could- present the most commonplace affairs before his man in a way that would give the matter a | sensational tinge. There was one subject, however, on which he would ~ive but very little in- formation, and that was his experience as a duellst. He seemed to regard with no little pride the fact that he had attained a national reputation as a duelist, but as to the causes which led to them and the result of the pas- sage at arms he was as silentasa mummy. The fact that Baron Harden-Hickey was a man looking for a kingdom at- tracted the attention of the conspira- tors who wished to overthrow the new republican government of the Ha- waliian Islands. It was proposed to him that he join forces with them and in consideration of his having provided some of the sinews of war Baron Har- den-Hickey was to be set up as an in- dependent sovereign on the island of Kauai. The plan was to successively occupy all the islands, leaving the capi- tal till the last. The plot was exposed, however. Some time ago Baron Harden-Hickey attracted the attention of the literary world in a book of which he was the author, entitled “Euthania, or the Eth- ics of Suicide.” In this he treated the subject from a historical and reasoning point of view. His line of argument all tended to the one point that suicide under some circumstances was not only pardonable but creditable. Subsequent events have proved that Baron Har- den-Hickey not only wrote as He be- lieved but had the courage of his con- victions. That he had but recently been de< voting his time to the manuseript of a{ new book is evident from the fact that such 2 book is now in the hands of Comte J. de la Boissiere. It is entitled: “Soul Love,” and is said to be a theor- etical romance treating of platonic and’ non-platonic love. Baron Harden-Hickey leaves two. children by his first wife, one a beauti- ful girl of 16, now completing her edu- cation at the Convent of the Sacred, Heart in Paris. The other is a boy | about 18 years of age, and is said to be, | the manager of a large ranch in MexX-, ico, dwned by the late Baron. | For the past few months the late | Baron spent much ‘of his time in San, | Francisco, but led a very quiet life | while here. He seemed to seek se- | clusion. That there was some dif- | ference between him and his wife is quite evident, but as to the matter in | dispute between them not even their | closest friends know. It is thought, that he had of late given way to the; | chloral habit, and this may have had, | something to do with the affair, for it | is said that in one of the letters from | his wife, found among his effects in- | the hotel at El Paso, where he com- mitted suicide, she expresses a hope | that he would rid himself “of that beastly chloral habit.” Neither was the Baron on good terms, | with his rich father-in-law. In ay | letter found in his room at El Paso, {and addressed to his wife, he saysi{ “Well, I have drained the cup of bit-’ terness to the very dregs, but I do. not complain. I prefer to be a dead: | gentleman to a living blackguard like | your father.” Tt is not likely that the differences arose over money matters, for no mat- ter what else may be charged to Baron Harden-Hickey, he was not an adven- turer from a financial standpoint. He was just the sort of a fellow who, if he had taken a notion to marry a girl, it would not make a whit of diffetence to him whether her father was a mil- lionaire or a beggar. So ends the life of one of the most romantically inclined characters in this very prosalc age. —————— SAWDUST EXPLOSIONS. Who ever heard of sawdust explosions? They are common enough in Canada. Navigation on the Ottawa River has been seriously impeded at times by explosions of sawdust, and the Dominion Govern- ment has at last decided to take steps to prevent any practice which will enhance the possibility of these explosions taking place. One would hardly suppose that sawdust dumped into; the river would in course of time refo itself into a gas generator which would keep the surface of the stream In a constant state of up- heaval. But it is true to such an extent that small boats have been capsized and large vessels have been injured by the submarine convulsions. The bottom of the Ottawa River is cov=- ered with a deep layer of sawdust dumpéd there by the lumbermen who have carried on their log cutting indus- try on_its banks and tributaries for years. The dust becoming water-soaked, sinks to the bottom, and in_the course ol time, rots and generates a highly explos- ive gas. The latter rises to the surface, each bubble being joined or reinforced by other bubbles on the way up. Contact: with air seems to be as destructive as touchfire to this gas, and the moment the surface is reached it explodes with a loud report. Legislation may in time do away with the annoyvance, but even if no more dust is thrown into the stream hence- forth, the millions of tons already there will take a long time to work off their gas generating qualities. X t