The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-19
VIVID VAMPS
By ANNE JORDAN

Under the spreading chestnut tree grew little Emily Lyons, daughter of the brawny blacksmith, Henry Lyons ot Great Weston, in Cheshire, England. But Emmy's father shod his last horse soon after the birth of his daughter, and left his family dependent upon the parish. Probably it was Capt. Willet Payna, an officer in the British navy, who taught that illiterate girl the difference between French heels and horseshoes.
 Emmy didn't finger long, however. un- der the official training of the navy gentleman. She was soon pushing quacH
 pills for a Scotch doctor named Graham. pr. Graham got into some sort of trou- ble with his fake pills, and Emma met Sir Henry Featherstonhaugh, country gentleman. Sir Harry had rather sen
 sitive nature, and turned her out in the cold on December night, because she in- sisted on calling him Sir 'Arry' With a shawl over her head, Emma plodded through the snow toward the abode of the Honorable Charles Grevlie, young scion of rank and debts whom she had met at script dance. Grevilie
 had more patience than either the doctor or Sir Harry. He even took the trouble to teach the girl when to sound and when to put the soft pedal on her h's Gheville, despite his lack of ready cash, maintained a neat social position, so he
 employed EmrSas mother to chaperon and keep house. He went into debt further, paying teachers who gave Emma lessons In dancing, acting and
 singing When she had mastered tie three arts to the point of professional skill, he entertained his friends with pageants, with Emma as the entire cast To one of these all-star functions came Romney, then at the height of his fame as a portrait painter. He fell for Emma and asked her to pose for him, and after that the titled ladies had to wait for sittingS while Romney painted for the love of art. The artist failed to make headway because Emma was in love with Greville, and was constant, but some of Romney's best portraits were those of Emma.
 Greville and Emma were happy until Sir William Hamilton, Greville's uncle,
 ran over to England for a vacation. Sir William was envoy to Naples, and oc-
 casionaly spent weekend and few
 pounds sterling back home. He dropped
 in to call on his nephew, Charles, and
 met Emma.
 My word, Charliev' calculated his lordship, dropping his monocle. Wno this young person?'
 Who's this old duck referring to me as a person?' demanded Emma, soften ing her words with one of the smiles Romney had made famous.
 Later in the evening Uncle William drew Charlie asde
 Nephew, you're much too young to De acting like this" he declared. "I'll hand
 you a tidy sum if you'll speak a kindly
 word for ms with this sweet young
 thing"
 Charlie waited two years, until he was
 over his ears in debt, before he uttered a syllable in favor of Sir William. Then he got his debts paid, and Emma went
 to Naples for visit.
 Emma didn't like being swapped In this manner for blank check, and she
 pouted until Sir William took her to court ball The Neapolitan court was different from that of England, and tNey didn't have a very exclusive Whos Who" book. When the Queen Maria Car olina took up with Emma, the girl de- cided that after all it was better 10 pc a rich old mans darling than entertain er-in-chief to poor mans friends.
 She made herself famous with flock of attitudes or poses, such as venus at the Bath," and Psyche at the SinK. The Queen liked her so much that sne suggested to Sir William that he take Emma back to England and marry her, SD she couldtbe received openly at court functions. >r,
 It was about this time that Lord Nei- son became famous through his trade slogan, England expects every man to do his duty" But when he met Emma, he forgot his own duty for while sno parked his frigate in the Bay of Naples,
 Emma leaned gently on his paulets anu calico him My Hero, Wlth the einpno0'S on the ''my.'
 The revolutionary wars of 1792 maoe
 Em,r,a. now Lady Hamilton, very 'uselui to the British government. When Loru Nelson at length remembered ms outy again and sailed off on the Nile cam paign, it was Lady Hamilton who Vamp, ed Sicilian Higher-up and arranged matters so England could use Sicily TOT a watering and supply base
 When Nelson returned, her influence
 over him evoked more displeasure Tn
 England than did the antics Of one Ma
 poleon Bonaparte. who had knocked out Rome and was rapidly proving his righ'
 to the title of Young Chariemagne. revolutionary foment was brewing in Ma ptes, and Emma had an opportunity 10 repay her debt of gratitude to the Quee of Naples by saving the royal family from the ire of the insurrectos. She ar ranged it so they might take refuge on Lord Nelson's flagship, and it cost her husband his job. for Sir William was re- called to England. This didn't annoy Emma, for she and Lord Nelson calmly proceeded to tour Europe, taking Sir l William along for a chaperon.
 In 1901, after their return to England Miss Horatio Nelson Thompson was born, | the Thompson being thrown in for gooS measure In 1908, Sir William died leav- ing her eight hundred pounds a year | and the furniture of his home in Picadi'- !! ly. The latter was removed to Lord Mel sons residence at Merton. where she lived until the death of the admiral
 England never gave her a. pension. r spite of Lord Nelson's freuuent petitione that she be rewarded for her assistance to the British Navy. Being barred fro~ court. Emma took up gambling for ex- citement, and she was thrown into pri~ on for year when she went into debt Alderman Smith secured her release, anH she skipped to Calais to seek refuge fror' her creditors, There she died. in distres,