The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-05
GREAT LOVE
STORIES
of HISTORY
By Albert Pnyson Terhune
NELSON AND LADY
HAMILTON
By Albert Payson Terhune

| NELSON AND LADY
/ HAMILTON L
Copyright by tie Autaor.)
A little one-armed man and a wom-
an as wicked as she was beautiful
the naval hero OF England and an ex-
chambernaid-are the hero and hero
inc of this story.
The man was Horatio Nelson: the
woman. Lady Hamilton. Nelson was
the younger son of an English clergy
man. He had. as a boy. craving for
the sea: received an appointment as
midshipman. and by sheer genius rose
to the ranks of admiral. He was
also created viscount in the British
peerage, and was the nations idol.
Lady Hamilton began life as 4 domes
tic servant. Her name was Emma
Harte. firing of the duties of cham
bermaid, she became waitress in a
tavern. Later, after a rather doubtful
career, she attracted the notice OF
old Sir William Hamilton. British am
bassador at the court of Naples, and
married him.
Nelson could not withstand a pretty
face. He had long line of limo
cent but ardent love affairs. AS a
mere youth he fell in love with a
Quebec girl and was with difficulty
persuaded not TO marry her. Next he
e proposed to Miss
Andrews in the
west Indies. The
match was broken of, and he became
enamored of Mrs. Montray, a dashing
widow.
If il were not for her he wrote
to friend, Il believe | should hang
myself"
But Mrs. Montray left the West In
dies. and Nelson transferred his af-
fections to another widow. Mrs. Mis-
bet. To win the favor of this second
widow this national hero used to play
sea fights under the dining room
table with her children. In March.
1877, he and Mrs. Nisbet were mar
ried. Nelson was at that time %.
Until he was 40 their welded life was
happy. Then trouble set in.
While Nelson was in command of
the Mediterranean, after he thrashed
Napoleon's fleet at the battle of the
Nile, he met Lady Hamilton. Her
husband begged leave to introduce to
her "a little man who cannot boast
OF being handsome, but such a man
as will one day astonish the world "
Nelson had never seen so beautiful or
clever a woman. He looked upon her
with sort Of reyerent admiration
When she used her influence at the
Naples court in behalf of the British
fleet he felt bound to her by unbreak
able ties of gratitude. Her influence
over the simple, impulsive admiral
grew to be boundless.
There was a revolt that ousted the
Neapolitan king and queen from their
court. Nelson took them under his
protection and they were restored &c
the throne. Admiral Caraccioli of the
revolutionist fleet was Nelson's friend
Caraccioli CHANGED to to be Lady Ham
ilton's enemy. She is credited witt
persuading Nelson to forget that Car
accioli had been promised a free par
don for his share in the revolt. ant
to consent to the unfortunate man:
! cASCulloL Is tElS DidIhSSl StolL
on all Nelson's record. A woman:
wiles had for once made him forge
! honor. friendship and fairness.
AS time went on Nelson's infatua
/ ton for Lady Hamilton grew to be the
scandal of Europe. The Admiral:
faithful wife endured 1t for years theI
| told Nelson he must once and foreve
choose between Lady Hamilton ant
I herself. He did so. AS a result Lad.
| Nelson left their house, and onl.
once again did she set eyes on he
| husband. She was not clever. Sh'
had no weapons with which to cop,
| with the charms of her more beautiful
! rival. So Lady Hamilton won tn
strange duel of wits. and Nelson wa
! henceforth her devoted slave. TIL
deserted wife according to a stor,
| told by her grandchild) used secretl
! to kiss Nelson's miniature portrait
| and spend hours gazing on 1t, ever
when she was a very old woman.
Nelson was ever goaded on to fresl
and warlike enterprises by Lady Ham
iIton She urged him to offer the gov
eminent his services on importan
campaigns. instea
of wasting tin
ashore with hel
Whether she really was ambitious {
| increase his fame or merely wante
| him out of the way for time canno
be known. In any case, Nelson re
garded her zeal as proof OF her Low
| for him and warmly praised her for il
On October %. 1905, Nelson met an
| overcame the largest French feet il
an immortal sea fight off the Cape O
| Trafalgar. But in the battle he re
ceived death wound. His las
| thoughts and message are said to hav
been for the woman he adored
Lady Hamilton, after Nelson's deatf
| quickly sQuandered her small fortune
She was cast into prison for debt. o
| her release she went to Trance {
drag out a hand-to-mouti existenct
! dying at Calais il 1915. The creates
| painters in Europe had for many year
| WED with one another for the privileg
! OF painting her portrait. Many c
| those portraits are still in existence
keeping fresh the memory Of beaut
| that stained the life of an otherwis
! honorable ferpiC