The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-01-27

YES" said Helena Won Ritz,
they two loved each other, even as
they were. So here am /, born of
that love-"
Now We all sat silent for a time.
THAT birth was at my fathers es-
tates," resumed the same even,
merciless voice. After some short
time of travels, they returned to
the estates; and, yes, there | was
born, half noble, half peasant; and
then there began the most cruel
thing the world has ever known.
"The mobiles of the court and of
the country all around began to
make existence hideous for my
mother. The aristocracy, insulted
by the republicanism of these
young nOblemen. made life hell
for the most gentle woman of Hun
gary. All, they found new ways to
make her suffer. They allowed her
to share in my fathers estates, al
lowed her to appear with him when
he could prevail upon her to do so.
Then they twitted and tainted her
and Knocked her in all the devilish
ways of their class. She was more
beautiful than any court beauty of
them all, and they hated her for
that. She had a good mind, and
they hated her for that. She had
faithful, loyal heart, and they hated
her for that"
But your father resented this?"
She nodded. Duel after duel
he fought, man after man he killed,
thanks to his love for her and his
manhood. He would not release
what he loved. He would not allow
his class to separate him from his
choice. But the women! All, he
could not fight them! So I have
hated women, and made war on
them all my life. My father could
not placate his emperor. So, in
short. that scientific experiment
ended in misery-and me-"
The room had grown DINNER.
There was silence, | know, for
long time before she spoke again.
I'm time, then, my father left his
estates and went out to small
place in the country; but my moth
er-her heart was broken. Malice
pursued her. Those who were call
ed her superiors would not let her
alone. See, he weeps, my father,
as he thinks of these things.
There was cause, then, to weep.
For two years, they tell me, my
mother wept. Then she died. She
gave me, baby, to her friend,
woman of her village-Threlka Ma
zoff. You have seen her. She has
been the sole guardian l have
known all my life. She has not
been able to do with me as she
would have liked"
you did not live at your own
home with your father" l asked.
For time. l grew up. But my
father, l think, was permanently
shocked by the loss of the woman
he had loved and whom he had
brought into all this cruelty. She
had been so lovable. so beautiful
she was so beautiful, my mother
TO the schools. l grew up, l pre-
sumo, proof in part of the excel
lence of my fathers theory They
told me that was a beautiful ami
mall"
The contempt, the scorn, the
pathos-the whole tragedy of her
voice and bearing-were such as
can not set down on paper, and
such as | scarce could endure to
hear. Never in my life before
have I felt such a pity for a human
being, never so much desire to do
what | might in sheer compassion.
But now. how clear it all became
to me! | could understand many
strange things about the character
of this singular woman, her whims,
her unaccountable moods, her seem
ing carelessness, yet withal. her
dignity and sweetness and air of
breeding-above all her mysteri-
BUSINESS. Let others Judge her for
themselves. There was only long
ing in my heart that l might find
some word of comfort. What could
comfort her? Was not life, indeed,
for her to remain a perpetual trag-
edy?
But, Madam" said !, at length,
you must not wrong your father
and your mother and yourself
These two loved each other devot-
eddy. Well, what more? You are
the result of a happy marriage.
You are beautiful, you are splen-
did, by that reason