Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-04-22

was famous for sat the woman who
was to preside over his establishment
for more than ten years to come
The home Parish took her to was a
grand one, as homes went in the
America of that era 1t was a low.
square structure that stood on Wash
ington street, facing the broad St
Lawrence, and with its grounds occu-
pied a whole block The house was
surrounded by high stone wall, with
only two entrances cut through 1t, one
with stately wide gates opening on
Washington street and the other for
the servants use in the rear. The wall
was so high that only the trees around
the mansion within could be seen
above 1T, which gave to its inmates
the privacy that is SO dear to the av-
erage Briton's heart in his home
Happiness Lasted Long.
The social world of the aristocratic
old place knew Mime. Vespucci only
through the daily spectacle she pre-
scented as she drove out alone and in
considerable state in her open car
riage behind the blooded Parish
horses Of all the houses in Ogdens-
burg there was only one she ever en-
tered. That was a home on the OPP
posite side OF Washington street,
where a gentle old lady received her
out of sheer pity for the solitary state
of the foreign woman who had elected
to cut herself off from the companion
ship of her sex for the sake of the
man she loved.
That she loved Parish and that he
returned this affection in kind there
is no question. Happiness dwelt in
that home for a decade, and the only
thing that marred the perfection of
her life was the ostracism of her sex,
and this seemed to fret her not at ALL
She was young, beautiful and had
everything that went with great wealth
and came from a generous mans great
love.
The men who were familiars in the
house had the greatest respect for her
and treated her as if her position was
socially. unassailable. Possibly this
conduct had something to do with her
tragic end, for she gradually grew I'M
perious toward the members of her
masculine court, and more particularly
SO toward the master of the place and
of her fortunes This attitude finally
resulted one day, out of her assurance
OF the power she welded over Parish,
in her giving some orders concerning
the management of the estate that
were directly opposite to Parish's
ideals on the subject.
With all the dignity and suavity of
manner for which he was famous he
told her the time had come when she
must leave him and his house He
suggested that Paris would be ex-
cellent place for her to take up resi-
dence in, and that he would, naturally,
oh 1icyhf VIC
in the style to which she had been
accustomed. Of the effect of this ulti-
matum had on her subsequent events
showed But at the time she was as
dignified as a woman of her training
only could be.
Last Social Function.
She made one request, however, and
this he granted with his usual cour-
tesy, urbanity and generosity. This
was that before she left Ogdensburg
she might be permitted to give ,fete
champetre for the poor children of the
town. between whom and Nine Yes
pucci there had sprung up a great at
tachment.
From Montreal and New York Par
ish summoned all the kinds of per-
formers and shows that gave the form
of entertainments sacred to such out
door parties for children in the land
of Nine Vespucci's youth, the land
that was to be the scene of her brief
exile. The lawns behind those gray
walls never were so full of life and
merriment as on that day which was
to mark the end of madame's reign
All the men who were friends of Par
ish and Nine. Vespucci took part in
the farewell Father Mackey and DR..
Peters were there, and for the first
time Dr. Miller, the Presbyterian
clergyman, entered the gateway and
met the mistress of the establishment
She hid the ache in her heart behind
a mask of gaiety, and there are old
men and women in Ogdensburg today
whose eyes will tighten at the mem
cries of the happiness that was theirs
that beautiful afternoon.
Then Nine. Vespucci went away
Paris became her home, but 1T was a
solitary and heart-breaking one for
her. The letters she wrote to one of
her old men friends in the Maple city
told of this solitude and this heart
break. She wrote to him at intervals
of two years; and then word reached
her friends that she was dead Of
how great was her love for Parish
this brief record of absence from his
side bears witness. Beyond the stone
that marks her grave, in Pere-la-
Chaise there exist no tangible rec
ords of her in this country today, ex-
cert a silver box marked with the
Vespucci coat of arms and packet