The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-16
And That Is Why Vesta Dora Hast
ings, ViComtesse de Herriot,
Committed Suicide.
ALL MEN LOVED HER
That Is All But One; While She Loved NO Ma H.
Save Only Him That Loved Her Not~So'
Better Death Than Loveless Life.

the rustic of silks, the caress of laces,
the dewy splendor of gems, and for ner
horizon the tapestry OF luxurious rooms,
for her path in life the velvet of priceless
carpets.
She did not care that the Vicomte de
Henriot had been an unkind, even bru-
tai husband She was Indifferent to the
acts for those for whom she did not care
and the Vicomtesse De Henriot cared for
no one on the planet but her own beau
tiful, vain, sweet self.
ShelVed in San rancisco for a time.
There she met and enslaved John Brad
bury. the young Los Angeles millionaire,
he with the leaven Of Indian blood in his
veins, who afterwards married, and whose
wife's elopement caused an international
/ scandal The poor girl from Portland had
many millions almost within her grasp
as well as the title that she had acquired.
But the wisest sometimes overreach them
selves in their struggle for the social
heights upon which the Vicomtesse De
Henriot had set her beautiful eyes. She
! coquetted, while young Bradbury was in
, Los Angeles with Z. J., or Lucky
Baldwin, a prince of Pacific coast turf
men, and others, and this so angered
young Bradbury that he broke the en-
/ gagement.
In Washington she was much admired
/ by Senator Grave and Congressman Gay.
/ IN New DIRK she had mang a slave and
! sutton a young man who Is a member
! of one of the leading dry goods firms
/ Of this city being among the number. She
! had score of adOrers in Paris, but she
! would marry none of Gem.
! Il am a patriot" she often said with
/ laughter q love independence as much
/ as did those other patriots who signed
! the famous declaration. Why should 1
marry? 1 have money, a title, leisure.
/ What more coul marriage bring fne?"
She had a brief stage career. AS a
! French woman in costume at a ball mas
/ que; as a street player and flower girl
she played minor roles in the Herald
! Square theatre this city, and the Baldwin
/ Theatre, San Francisco.
One evening a gay party at the hotel
Continental in Paris became pensive, as
! even gay parties will. They fell to dis
! cusing some of the mysteries Of hfe-mar-
rage, happiness, love.
81 have always been happy, at least
since I have been rich said the Vicom-
Jesse breathing itself Is estate 10 me-
Sometimes I feel that I am drunk with
! the joy of life. do not understand how
anyone who lives can be sad. 1t is much
simply to live
But marriage is often a failure"
sighen a grey-eyed woman in a gown
I that looked as though made Of a cloud,
through which the sunshine cleaned.
"Oh, marriage is-the Vicomtesse
tapped the grey-eyed woman's arm with
! her fan-"marriage is-nothing." The vi
| comtesse was never philosophical, not till
afterward.
And love IS the greatest illusion OF all.
It is a mirage, a nothing" said someone
with gloomy brows.
Love? l have never known it," said
the Vicomtesse. AZ have no heart and I
am happy. Once 1 had an admirer who
was angry because I would not marry him
You have broken my heart ne said.
/ You may break others. but remember my
words-in time your own will be broken
He looked so white and angry and seemed
so sure of what ne said, that 1 was
frightened. 1t was the only time that 1
had ever been frightened. although my
.
sweet tempered man and l have seem him
in some terrible moods. I was sixteen
when the boy-sweetheart flung that
prophecy at me. I ambush! let 1t be
secret-thirty-six now. Will il be full
! filed. do you think?' The Vicomtesse's
( teeth cleaned in her ready smile.
One man had shot himself because the
! Vicomtesse had refused him. Another
threw himself into the Seine. Some mad
flung themselves into a neadlong course
of dissipation. \ brilliant young collegian
! went exploring the Conga in search Of for
! getfulness. And stiu the Vicomtesse did
not understand"
One night she met a French scholar
al a reception. She had taken languid
interest in his books and in newspaper
accounts Of his researches. She had won
dered vaguely about the personality of a
man so much talked about and then she
had forgotten MIN until the night of the
reception.
He was presented 10 her. She admired
his keen. dark eyes, his breadth Of brow.
his almost rough virility. She smiled
softly and brought all her plant, pretty
arts TO bear upon him. He affected 10 be
looking and listening. he listened to the
music and watched the passing fashion
/ ahlese. Plainly he was not even inter
ested She was beautiful, but there were
many beautiful women. He was on the
verge of boredom.
She was puzzled at irst. panied later.
and bitterly wounded al last. He bade
her a cool Good night" and left her
with the tears very near the surface.
She slept but little and wept a great
deal that night. She was panied by the
she had no thought OF blame for him.