Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-17
END OF AN ADVENTURES.
An Old Scandal Revived-The Pre-
tended Daughter of Americas
VesUuecf.

tended Daughter of Americas
Vespucci.
From the Albany Argus.l q.
a "A Washington letter-writer reyiyes th,
old'r0mantie tale ofthe willy Italian girl
who finding herself in Washington
against her will, by royal command, Sc
fascinated grave Senators by her grea
personal charms and graces of manner
that she barely failed to obtain large
concession of the public land, on the
pretense that she was descendant o
the putative discoverer OF America. Mr.
Adams was much impressed by the rep
reservations of the young woman, and
apparently duped by her plausible story
was the champion Of her application Il
| Congress, if he did not suggest it. Mr.
Cushing was another of her many advo
Gates, and It is a marvel that the scheme
was not successful ut was during the
reign of Louis Philippe that the affair
occurred. M. Pontois, the French Min
lister, received parcel by express from
over the sea, which was destined tC
create no small stir in Washington. The
letter-writer says:
This parcel was done up in the per
son of certain Mademoselle Vespucci
whose undue influence over the son Of
Louis Philippe had aroused the jeal-
ousy of the young gentleman's mother.
Seizing. upon the accidental identity OF
names borne by the too fascinating
beauty and the man who had succeeded
in perpetuating his own by means of a
stolen discovery, the Queen sent Made
moiselle Vespucci to Washington to seek
her fortune. only ask a leetle piece,
said that lady, 'ofyour big country which
my ancestors did find for you She
would add, | am a beggar, you see.
| have nothing She was beggar
after the fashion Of those Mother
Goose has commemorated, who come in
velvet gowns, for her dressing is recol-
lected as rich and elegant in the ex-
treme. Her beauty was very striking
and for a time the so-called descendant
of the worthy Americas was the sensa-
ton of Washington, and seemed likely
to obtain all she wanted. But when the
first enthusiasm began to die away her
appeals seemed less eloquent and touch
ing, and final blow was struck to her
claims by the uncle Of Senator Thur
man, who evidently thought the family
of the elder Vespucci had received quite
sufficient from our continent in naming
il. SO the leetlei piece of the big coun-
try was not given, and this queenly
beggar, like many another with better
founded pretensions, vanished from the
capital and was forgotten"
We are tempted to supplement this
veritable history with some particulars
that have not been heretofore published,
and which will round off the biography
of this adventures symmetrically.
Americus Vespueci, for that was her
real name, was native of one of the
Italian cities, which we do not now recol-
lect. She was respectfully connected,
but the family had become Impoverished,
and she and her sister were employed
in the establishment of a lithographer.
The sister bore, a good reputation, and
subsequently, married man who sup
ported her comfortably. Americas came
to grief early, and, after series of in
trigues which alienated her family,
caught the Duke cf Orleans in hes tolls.
She was strikingly handsome,Iof fine
commanding figure, full of wit and inge-
nuty quite accomplished, specifically,
and the young Prince was so much en-
amored of her that his mother became
alarmed, and sent her out Of the country
She was in Boston at the time the
Prince de Joinville visited the city and
attended the ball given in his house. He
recognized her, and was startled and
scandaliEed by her presence. 1t was
said at the time that she addressed him,
imploring him not to expose her, and
that he complied with her request on
condition that she should withdraw from
the company at once. We next hear of
her occupying spacious mansion at
0gdensburg on the st. Lawrence under
the protection of wealthy landholder,
who had extensive pecuniary connec-
tions in Amsterdam. The house and
grounds we're surrounded by high wall,
and she lived here in state of utter
seclusion, having no intercourse with
the exterior world The gentleman had
large business engagements Trombone
a great deal, and frequently for long
periods. Mademoiselle, who was
naturally impatient and exacting,
grew moody and discontented, and
at last his return was not greeted
with much enthusiasm. She had strong
and high living produced its
inevitable results. With advancing |
years her charms diminished and she |
got to be corpulent, gross, and almost
and her friend was impressed |
with the truth of what the poet says
about our pleasant vices becoming
scourges at last. she finally grew fret
ful aud unreasonable, with alterpations
Of sudden malignity, occasionally threat
ening his life and her own, until state
Of things soon superyened which was
Some ten or twelve years
since a compromise was effected, and
the last we heard of Americas Vespucci
she was living quietly in Paris on
handsome allowance, its payment being
contingent upon her American friend
unmolested by the descend
ant of the man who dii not discover
America. .rnrl.rf.rtf