Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-31
CHAPTER XXXIII.
The Story of Helena Won Ritz.

SIy.-WdSTllHShOH h""S'
But madam; but madam" l tried
TO begin At last, after moments when
seemed to me ages long, l broke out:
But once, at least, you promised to tell
me who and what you are. Will you
do that now?'
Yes. yes!" she said. Now shall
finish the clearing of my soul You, af-
ter all, shall be my confessor."
We hear again a faltering football in
the hallway. l raised an eyebrow IN
query.
1t is my father. Yes, but let him
come. He also must hear. He is in
deed the author of my story, such as 1t
is.
Father" she added, come. sit you
here. | have something to say to Mr..
Trist."
She seated herself now on one of the
low couches, her hands clasped across
its arm, her eyes looking far away out
of the little window beyond which could
be seen the hills across the wide Poto-
mac.
Won can tell. l speak your language
better than my father does, because l
was younger when l learned. IL IS
quite true he is my father. He is an
Austrian nobleman, of one of the OLD
families. He was educated in Ger
many. and of late has lived there"
Il could have told most of that or
you both,' l said.
She bowed and resumed:
MY father was always student. AS
a young man in the university, he was
devoted to certain theories Of his own.
n est-ce pas vrai, mon drole" sne
asked, turning to put her arm on her
fathers shoulder as he dropped weakly
on the couch beside her.
He nodded. Yes, l wass student
he said. ~ wass not content with the
ways of my people"
so, my father, you will see,' SAID
she smiling at him, being much deter
mined on anything which ne attempted
decided with five others, to make
certain experiment. 1t was the strang-
est experiment, presume, ever made IN
the interest of what is called science.
1t was wholly the most curious and the
most cruel thing ever done"
She hesitated now. All l could do
was to look from one to the other'
wonderingly.
This dear old dreamer, my father,
then, and five others"
Il name them" he interrupted.
There were Karl Won Goertz, Albretcht
Hardman, Adolph zu Sternbern, Kari
Won Starnack, and Rudolph Won ward
berg. We were all friends
Yes" she said softly, "all friends,
and all fools. Sometimes think of my
mother"
My dear, your mother!"
But | must tell this as il was
Then, sir, these six, all Heidelberg men,
all we'll born, men of fortune, all men
devoted to science, and interested in
the study of the hopelessness of the
average human being in Central Eu-
rOpe-tnese fools, or heroes, l say not
which-they decided to do something
i'm the interest Of science. They were
Of the belief that human beings were
becoming poor in type. So they deter
mined to marry"
Naturally" said |, seeking to relieve
Il delicate situaton-"they scorned the
marriage Of CONFERENCE.-The came to
our American way of thinking. that
they would marry for love"
she slowly. THAT would have meant
no sacrifice on either side. They mar
ried i'm the interest of science, They
married with the deliberate intention OF
improving individuals of the human
species! Father, is it not so?"
Some speech stumbled on his tongue;
hut she raised her hand. Listen tc
me. will be fair to you, father fair
er than you were either to Yourself ol
to my mother"
Yes. these six concluded to improve
the grade of human animals. They
resolved to marry among the peasant
rv-becauSe thus they could select fine'
specimens Of wOmankind. younger
stronger. more fit to bring children into
the world. Is not that the truth. my
father
1T wass the way We thought" ht
whispered 1T waSs the way We
thought wasS wise"
And perhaps il was wise. 1t was Sc
lection. So now they selected. Two
uf them married German working girls
and those two are dead. but there is M
child Of them alive. Two married II
Austria. and of these one died. and tn
uther is i'm a madhouSe. One married
n roung Galician girl, and so fond o
her did he become that she took hin
down from his station to hers. and III
was lost The other
Yes: it was my father" she said a
length There he sits, my father Yes
I love him. would forfeit my life 70
him now would lay it down gladl!
for MIN. Better had I done so. Blu
in nv time | have mated him"
He. the last one. searched long fo
this fitting animal to lead to the altar
He was tall and young and handsom
and rich. do YOU see? He could hav
chosen among his own people any wo
man hr likcC Instead. he searched
among the Garcians. the lower Aus
trfans. the Prussians. He examined
Bavaria and SaXony. Many ne found
hut still none To suit his scientific ideas
He hethought him then Of searching
among the Hungarians. where, it il
aid the most beautiful women of th
world are found So at last ne foun'
The silence i'm the room was broker
ut Ia t by her low. even. hopeless voice
rs she went on:
Now the Hungarians are slaves t
Austria. They do as they are bid
those who live on the great estates
They have no hope. If they rebel. the!
are cut down. They are not n people
They belong to no one. not even t
themselves"