Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1879 — A Proud Missionary’s Daughter. [ARTICLE]

A Proud Missionary’s Daughter.

Cleveland Leader. Many of our old settlers who used to attend worship in the old Second Church, when it stood where the jail now stands, will remember listening about a third of a century ago to a series of lectures on China by a splendid and handsome-looking young missionary by the name of S. Wells Williams. His lectures were exceedingly interesting, and his delivery showed him to be a man of far more than ordinary ability. His polished manner and fine physical appearance made a vivid impression on tne susceptibilities of the foirer portion of his audiences, to which statement many ladies now living on the shady side of life, beautified wilh silvered hair, will testify. It was our privilege to listen to those lectures, and, in common with many, we were fascinated by the magnetism of the young missionary’s eloquence, and by the extraordinary spirit of refinement he was endowed with.

Years rolled by. A short time since, while crossing the Atlantic homewardbound, we noticed among the lady passengers one whose extraordinary beauty attracted universal attention. In addition to her beauty, she was graced with a modesty and lack of pretension which added much to her charms. Hhe was the Honorable Mrs. Groevenor, a sister-in-law of the head of the great house of that name, the Duke of Westminster Jwhose income is a guinea—ss 04—a minute, day and night, the year round. Of course she was the subiect of comments and admiration. When she promenaded on the deck with gentlemeuwho considered themselves.highly favored by having her company, her majestic physique, brilliant eyes, graceful movements and her uusurpassing beautiful face were quietly watched

with stolen glances and the most in i tense interest. It was soon learned that she was ah American lady, but bom in China, and that she was on her way to America to visit her parents iu New Haven. The thought occurred to us, might it not be possible that this exquisite-looking woman was the daughter of that handsome missionary whose lecture we listened to so long ago. After landing at New York we called on a lady mend, and in the course of our eon venation we metioned the great beauty who came over with us and told who she was. Our friend replied saying she knew Mrs. Grosvenor, that she was the daughter of 8. Wells Williams, the celebrated Chinese missionary and member of the United States legation, where he acted as interpreter, and author of the first Chinese dictionary ever published, and who is npw living near New Haven. His daughter was born in China, and after sbe had grown up to maturity she became acquainted with the Honorable Mr. Grosvenor, sn attache of the British embassy, to whom she was afterward mlrried. She went with her husband to England, and after her arrival he suggested that they call on his brother, the Duke of Westminster. She, with the true spirit of American womanhood, declined, saving that in her country the women were all queens, that she could not acknowledge the superiority of the duke’s social position as reauiring her to make the first social call. The result was the proud duke called on his sister-in-law first, and he was captivated by her aud he surrendered.