Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-31

time, monsieur met you, here in this
very room! God pity me! You were
the first man had ever seen. God pity
mel believe Loved you-tnat
night. that very first night! We are
friends We are brave. You are man
and gentleman, so l may say that. now.
l am no longer woman. l am but sac
rifice.
Opportunity must exist, open and
free for all the world" she wcr on, not
looking at me more than | could now
at her. Il have set my life TO prove
this thing When l came here to this
America-out of pique. out Of love Of
adventure, out of sheer daring and ex-
ultation in mposture-then l saw why
l was born, for what purpose! 1t was
to do such work as might to prove the
theory of my father, and so justify the
life of my mother. For that thing l
was born. For that thing l had been
damned on this earth; | may be damn
ed in the life to come, unless | can
make some great atonement. For
these l suffer and shall always suffer.
But what of that? There must always
be a sacrifice"
Tine unspeakable tragedy Of her voice
cut to my soul. But liSten!" | broke
out. You are young. You are free.
All the world is before you. You can
have anything you like"
"Ah, do not talk to me of that" she
exclaimed imperiously. DO not tempt
me to attempt the deceit of myself! l
not love. / did not know it. AS to
marriage, I did not need it. had abun-
dant means without. | was in the up
per ranks of society. l was there; l
was classified; lived with them. But
always l had my purpose, my plans.
For them paid, paid, paid, as woman
must. with-what a woman has.
But now, l am far ahead Of my
story Let me bring it on. l went to
Paris. | have sOwn some seeds OF
venom, some seeds Of revolution, in one
place or another in Europe in my time.
All, it works; it will go! Here and
there l have cost human life. Here
and there work was to be done which
l disliked: but die it. Misguided, un-
cared for mshandled as l had been
well, as l said. went to Paris.
"Ah, sir, will you not, too, leave the
room, and let me tell on this story to
myself, to my own soul? 1t is filter for
my confessor than for you"
Let me, then, be your confessor!'
said l. Forget! Forget! You have
not been this which you say. Do l not
know"
mo, you do not know. Well, let be.
Let me go on. l say l went to Paris
was close to the throne of France.
That little Duke of Orleans, son of
Louis Philippe. was a puppet in my
hands. Oh, do not doubt did mis-
chief in that court, or at least If
failed it was through no lack of effort!
| was called there America Vespucci.'
They thought me Italian! At last they
came to know who / was. They dared
not make open rupture in the face OF
the courts of Europe. Certain Of their
high officials came to me and my young
Duke Of Orleans. They asked me to
leave Paris They did not command it
the Duke of Orleans cared for that
part of it. But they requested me out
sde-not in his presence. They offered
me price, a bribe-such an offering as
would, l fancied, leave me free to pur-
sue my own ideas in my own fashion
and in any corner of the world. You
have perhaps seen some of my little
piness were never for me-only ambi-
ton and unrest. With these goes lux
ury, sometimes. At least this sort OF
personal liberty was offered me-the
price of leaving Paris, and leaving the
son of Louis Philippe to mis- own de-
vices. | did So"
And so, then you came to Washing
ton? That must have been some years
ago"
Yes: some five years ago. / still
was young. told you that you m'st
have known me, and so, no doubt, you
did Did you ever hear of America
Vespucci'?"
A smile came to my face at the sug-
sestion Of that celebrated adventures
and mysterious impOstress who had
figured in the annals of Washin5ton-a
fair Italian, so the rumor ran, who had
come to this country to set up claim.
upon our credulity at least, as to being
the descendant of none less than Am
erigO Vespucci himself. This suppose
titiOus Italian had indeed gone so far
as to secure the introduction Of a bill
i'm congress granting to her certain
lands. The fate of that bill even then
hung in the balance. | had no reason
to put anything beyond the audacity
of this woman with whom spoke! My
smile was simply that which marked
the eventual voting down of this once
celebrated measure, as merry and as
bold a jest as ever was offered the
credulity of nation-One conceivable
only in the mad ana bitter VII OF Hell
ena Won Ritz.
Yes, madam" | said, Il have heard
of America Nespucci.' | presume tnat
you are now about to repeat that you
are she!"
She nodded, the miSchievous enjoy
mcnt of her colossal jest showing in her
eyes i'm spite of all Yes" said she,
among other things. | have been
| America Vespuccr! There seemed lit
tie to do here in intrigue, and that was
my first endeavOr to amuse myself.
Then found other employment. Eng
| land needed a skillful secret agent Why
should | be faithful to England? At
least. why should | not also enjoy in
4.