The Ordway new era., 1911-04-14
Madame Vespucci

other won. All Ogdensburg can tell
you about that today. They lived
there together. Parish and the wo-
man. Till he went abroad. Yes. and
she was a prisoner there, not simply
for short time: and she lived and
died there. Whatever Parish did. who
ever he was. he never loved any other
woman as he did that one. And by
the Lord! when 1t comes to that, no
other woman In that town ever was
loved more than she by everybody"
Facts Incorrect.
This reads we'll. 1t has fine. ro-
mantle swing about it. But the weak
ness Of this collocation Of events is
that the novelist's Missouri senator
was not correctly informed in the
premises. The episode of Nine. ves-
pucci's stay in Ogdensburg and her ca
reer as the informal mistress Of
George Parish's bachelor establish
ment are too well remembered by mid
dle-aged residents OF that st. Law
renee county city to leave any doubts
as to her career in the "City Of Ma
ples," or what became Of her and Of
George Parish in later years, when
Ogdensburg knew them no more in the
flesh.
In setting forth the details Of these
two lives as they are concerned with
this story. let US adopt the courtesy of
ladies first. Nine. Vespucci's career
began in America, when she made her
appearance In Washington in connec-
tion with some mythical land claims
against the government. She was
young, fair to look upon, and an
nounced herself as direct descendant
OF the great Amerigo Of her name.
She had come to this country from
Paris and speedily enlisted in her
cause. the merits Of which do not seem
to be very sound at this time, the two
most famous members Of the Van
Buren family-the former president OF
the United States and his son John.
who was best known through his So
cial graces at the time, though he was
the attorney general Of New York In
the years 1S45-46. Under what circum.
stances she left Paris, where she had
resided all her life up to that time,
Is not definitely known, although It is
believed that she accompanied one of
the two Van Burens to the United
States. But there is no question of
the fact~that John Van Buren, looked
after her closely for the first few years
she was In this country, and that he
made scant impression on congress
with her claims. There is also no
doubt that she travelled about with
him. 1t was one of these journeys
that she first met George Parish and
fell in love with him. as he did with
her.
Van Buren,. Love Cooled.
It was time this fate befell Nine
Vespucci. for John Van Buren, had
grown tired Of her. This son Of the
former president of the United States
did things gallantly. He was, in fact
so courtly a gentleman that he was
known as Prince John" wherever he
went, and his social graces we're so
conspicuous that to him was dele.
gated the duty Of managing the fam.
Gus ball in the Astor house for the
Prince Of Wales. So it was only to be
expected that when his old friend Par
ish met him one winters night in an
inn at Plattsburg. N. Y, while Parish
was on sleighing trip, Prince John
should be perfectly willing to play a
game Of cards for anything one could
mention-not even excepting a lady's
favor. And under the circumstances.
with a waning OF affection In the case
Of Prince John, what more natural was
It than that Parish should have won
the game and the stakef
On the morning after the momen-
tous game Van Buren, went his Jour