The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1914-06-18
CHATTER iii.
The BsautlfuI rIaress.

bUV 0N@0Ast1s 6seSss
Flora Desimone had been born In \ |
Calabrian peasants hut, and she had
rolled in the dust outside, yelling Wig |
orously at all times. Specialists de-
clare that the reason for all great
singers coming from lowly origin Is
found In this early development OF the
throat Parents OF means employ
nurses or sedatives to suppress or at
least to smother these infantile pro-
tests against being thrust inconsider-
ately into the turmoil of human be-
ings. Flora yelled or slept, - the
case might be; her parents were
equally Indifferent. They were too
buaily concerned with the getting Of
bread and wine. Moreover. Flora was
one among many. The gods are u
ways playing with the Calabrian pen
insula. heaving it UP here or throwing
| 1t down there; II terremoto, the earth
quake, the terror. Here nature tink-
| err vicariously with souls; and she sell
| dom has time to complete her work.
Constant communion with death
makes for callosity OF feeling; and the
Calabrians and the Sicilians are the
cruelest among the civilized peoples.
| Flora was ruthless.
She lived anna zingly well In thepre-
mier OF an apartment-hotel In the
Champs Elysees. In England and
America she had amassed fortune.
Given the warm beauty Of the south
ern Italian. the passion, the tempsra-
ment, the love OF mischief. the natural
cruelty, the inordinate craving for at
tention and Battery, she enlivened the
nations with her affairs. And she new
ar put = single beat OF her heart into
any OF them. That Ia why her voice 10
still splendid and her beauty unchang-
ing. She did not dissipate; cA!cula-
ton always barred her inclination !:
rather, she loitered about the Forbid
den Tree and played that she had
plucked the Apple. She had an ex.
ample to follow; Eve had none.
4 Men scattered fortunes at her feet
~ foolish Greeks scattered floral Of
, ferings at the feet OF their marble
, gods without provoking the sense Of
reciprocity or generosity or mercy
!, She had worked; ali, no one would
ever know how hard. She had been
, crushed, beaten, cursed. starved. That
she had risen to the heights In spite Of
/ these bruising verbs In no manner en-
/ larged her pity, but dulled and vitiated
: the little there was Of 1t, Her mental
! attitude toward humanity WAS child
; ish; A.. when the parent strikes, the
! child blindly strikes back. She wal
. determined to play, to enjoy life, tt
i give back blow for blow, nor caring
! where she struck. She was going t.
n press the juice from every grape. A
thousand odd years gone. she wcult
q have led the cry in Rome Bread ans
:. the circus!" or ITO the lions!'' Sh,
i would have disturbed Nero's compla
d cency. and he would have played n
!. obhligato instead OF solo ut the burn
j. ing. And she was malice incarnate
n They came from all climes-her Low
!. ers-- with roubles and lire and france
!. and shillings and dollars; and thoa.
: who finally escaped her enchAntmen
n did 50 involuntarily. for lack Of furthe
funds. They called her villas Gree,
isles. She hated but two things in til
Il world; the man she could have love-
4 and the woman she could not surpass
a Some one was at the speaking tube
= The singer crossed the room imps
= tiantly what u 1t p she asked i
"a French
III The voice below answered with
1t query in English. Ella this the Sigrs
y rina Desimone?"
N Yes. AMI now that my identity
N established, who ara you and what d
il you want at this time of night7"
d. Il am Edward Courtlandt.''
Of well, what Is 1t you wish r amiabl,
Z, You one did me an III turn cam
1t up the tube. Il desire that you max
ut some reparation"
In 'Sainted Mother! But II has take
&C. you long time to md out that I hay
he Injured you she Knocked.
IT. win you give me her address
ad please9 Your messenger gave m
ny your address. inferring that yo
r. wished to see me-"