The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-01-28
(Continued.)

Perhaps. Even when l was
sixteen was beautiful" she unused.
81 have heard rumors of that. But
say to you that then | was only
beautiful animal. Also, l was a
vicious animal. had in my heart
all the malice which my mother
never spoke. l felt in my soul the
wish to injure women, to punish
men. to torment them, to make
them pay! To set even those bal
9nces of torture!-ah, that was my
ambition! | had not forgotten that,
when | first met you, when | first
heard Other, the woman whom
you love, whom already in your saw
age strong way you have welded
the woman whose vows I spoke
with her--I--I, Helena Won Ritz
- with history such as mine!
Father. father"-she turned to
him swiftly; "rise-go! | cannot
now speak before you. Leave us
alone until I CALI"
Obedent as though he had been
the child and she the parent, the
old man rose and tottercd feebly
from the room.
There are things a woman can
not say in the presence of par
emit" she said, turning to me. Her
face twitched. ''It takes all my
bravery to talk to you"
why should you? There is no
need Do not"
"Ah. | must, because it is fair"
said she. Il have lost, lost | told
you | would pay my wager"
After time she turned her face
straight toward mine and went on
with her old splendid bravery.
$50, now, you see. when | was
young and beautiful had rank and
money. I had brains ! had hatred
of men. had contempt for the
aristocracy. My heart was peasant
after all. My principles were those
Of the republican. Revolution was
in my soul. 7 say. Thwarted, dis
torted, wretched, unscrupulous. I
did what I could to make hell for
those who had made hell for us. I
have set. dozens of mon by the ears.
I have been promised in marriage
to know not how many. A dozen
men have fought to the death in
ducls over me. For each such death
had not even a thought. The more
troubles 7 made, the happier I was.
Oh. yes. in time became Known
had reputation; there is no doubt
II, of that.
'But still the organized aristoc-
racy had its revenge-it had its will
OF me, after all, There came to me,
asthere had to my mother, an i'm
perial order In punishment for
my fancies and vagares, | was con-
demned to marry a certain noble
man. That was the within of the
new emperor, Ferdinand, the degen-
crate. He took the throne when I
was but 16 years of age. He chose
for me Il degenerate mate from his
own sort" She choked. now.
'You did marry him.
She nodded Eyes. Debauche,
of that aristocracy which had op.
pressed us, | was obliged to marry
him, man three times my age!
pleaded. I begged. was taken
away by night | was-I was
They say I was married to him. For
myself, | did not know where | was
or what happened. But after that
they said that was the wife of this
man. a sot, a monster, the memory
only of manhood. Now, indeed, the
revenge of the aristocracy was COM
plete!" ....
She won't on at last In voice icy
of,l1 f1pI niuhf. horls N
Hungary For a month they could
not find me. I was still young.
saw my people then as had not
before. | saw also the monarchies
of Europe All. now | know what
oppression meant! Now, | knew
what class distinction and snecial
privileges meant. | saw what ruin
1t was spelling for our country,
what it will spell for your country
II they ever come to rule here. All
then that dream came to me which
had como to my father. that beau.
tiful dream which justified me in
everything did NY friend. can ii
can ii in part Justify me--now?
"FOr the first time. then, | re-
solved to live, | have loved my
rather ever since lnat Ime. /
pledged myself to continue that
work which he had undertaken.
pledged myself to better the condi
ton of humanity If might.
"There was no hope for me. i
was condemned and ruined as il
was My life was gone. Such as
had left. that | resolved to give tC
what shall we call 1.-THE idee
democratique.
"Now. may God rest my mothers
soul, and mine also. so that some
time I may see her in another
world pray may be good enough
for that some time. have not
been sweet and sinless as was my
mother Fate laid heavier bur
den upon me. But what remained
with me throughout was the idea
which my father had bequeathed
me-"
"Ah. but also that beauty and
sweetness and loyalty which came
TO you from your mother" IN
sisted.
She shook her head Watt