In India he had a bachelor brother, a son and a grandson.
One day he was notified of the death (by bubonic plague) of these three
male members of his family, the baron himself collapsed and died
shortly after. The title and estate went to another branch of the
family. A hundred years before, a daughter of the house had run away
with the head-gardener and been disowned. The great-great-grand-son of
this woman became the ninth baron. The present baron's life was
recounted in full; and an adventurous life it had been, if the reporter
was to be relied upon. The interview appeared in a London journal,
with the single comment--"How those American reporters misrepresent
things!"
It made capital reading, however; and in servants' halls the newspaper
became very popular. It gave rise to a satirical leader on the
editorial page: "What's the matter with us republicans? Liberty,
fraternity and equality; we flaunt that flag as much as we ever did.
Yet, what a howdy-do when a title comes along! What a craning of
necks, what a kotowing! How many earldoms and dukedoms are not based
upon some detestable action, some despicable service rendered some
orgiastic sovereign! The most honorable thing about the so-called
nobility is generally the box-hedge which surrounds the manse.
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