Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-07
HUMAN RIDDLES
That Have Vexed the World
By John E1freth Watkins
Pame1a-Who Was She9

There was high glee in the nursery
of the Palais Royale. home of the Due
de Chartres. that near kinsman of the
king, who later became the Due dor
leans. A beautiful child, a vision of
loneliness and grace, a golden-haired.
blue-eyed, mischievous. sprightly girl
had been brought from England to be
the playmate of the palaces royal
youngsters. Her name was Pamela
Who was she? Why had she been
brought hither? At court mobiles and
royal personages questioned one an
other and shook their powdered heads
suspiciously, but did not learn the Sc
cret of Pamela.
Pamela was born to be loved. The
royal children of the household of
Chartres, their governess. the amiable
Nine. de Genlis, his grace, the duke,
princes. princesses and even their
ajesties themselves loved her from
the first. She was one OF the loVelles1
creatures ever known to man. Ana
her loneliness increased as she reached
maturity. When sixteen she was de-
scribed as "a creature born to win ali
hearts. There was never a girl more
fascinating She is beautiful, accom-
plished," this worshiper continued, land
the possessor of a heart which would
make her treasure to any man VINO
might gain her.
She became the toast of France, the
favorite model of it's artists. the CHIEF
inspiration of its poets. Many duels
were fought on her account.
but who was she?
No one cared save women who were
jealous of her charms, and their wag-
ging tongues found few listeners.
France who would not have wed her. II
he could. But to all their race she said,
No" Her Indifference broke many
heart.
Yet young Lochinvar was to come
out of the west and win Pamela 1t
was al the opera, in Paris, while she
sat in the box of the Due de Chartres,
one night upon the eve of the French
revolution. that the Irish Lord Edward
Fitz Gerald. son of the Duke of Lem
ster. first Toasted eyes on this charm
ing belle. He was handsome, brava
and young-still in his twenties. 1t
was a case of mutual love at first
sight. And despite the opposition of
duenna Nine. de Genlis, the young
couple were welded at Tourney the fol-
lowing December.
Then Britain Joined with France in
asking who might be this ward of the
Due de Chartres-now become daugh-
ter-in-law of the Duke of Leinster.
In the marriage contract, still pre-
served at Tourney. the bride was de-
scribed as "Stephanie Caroline Anne
Simms. known as Pamela native of
London, daughter of William Berk!ey and
of Mary Simms.
In later years her devoted Nine. de
Genlis maintained that her fair charge
had been the daughter not of William
Berkeley. but of one Seymour. an Eng
lishman of good family. who had run
off ok
Simms, a Hampshire girl of humble
birth. on whose account he had suf-
fered disownment after their mar
riage and who had soon died, leaving
poveSy had been relieved by a gentle
man of the Due de Chartres house
hold, who had come to England in
search for playmate for his grace's
children. According to Nine. de Genlis'
story Pamela had been bought from
twenty-five guineas. this legal precau-
ton being taken to prevent the moth
er's laying future claim to her.
A third version of Pamela's parent
age was. however. given in the mar
riage record printed in the Masonic
Magazine the month after her we'd
ding. This describes the contracting
couple as THE Hon. Lord Edward Fitz
Gerald Knight of the Shire for County
Kildare" and Mime. Pamela Caper.
daughter Oh HIS royal HIB Tic ti-
devant Duke of Orleans" According
to this record the former Due de Char
tres and Due dOrleans was Pamela's
father as we'll as her protector.
A fourth clue was given by Moore in
his Life of Lord Edward Fitz Gerald"
1t states that Pamela" was the adopt
ed, or. as it may be said without scru-
pie, the actual daughter of Nine. de
Genlis by the Due d'Orleans.
Which story was true?
Life seems to me more like a beau
tifu1 dream than reality. We are so
happy that / sometimes ask myself
fearfully. will it, can it. LAST" wrote
Pamela to Nine. de Genlis after she
had taken up her abode with her hus-
band upon his estate in Ireland.
Coming events had forecast their
shadows in Pamela's fears. Lord Ed
ward's ambition led him into the vortex of
Irish politics. He became the ruling spirit
of the Society of United Irishmen. He
played the same card that Sir Roger
Easement played only lately. Crossing
the channel he arranged for a French
invasion of Ireland, but was betrayed.
With a price of $1,000 upon his head,
he went into hiding. contriving now
and then to steal into Pamela's lodg- ,
ings and spend happy hour with her.
But the night after he had returned
from one of these visits with her his
hiding place was surrounded. Dagger