Gunnison news-champion., 1922-11-24
HIS STuRYS'
MYSTERIES.
o. WHICH SEX,


HTsTORY. particularly that portion
= = which deals with the intrigues
and plots that honeycombed the courts
Of Europe during the Eighteenth GEN.
tury. II filed with the accounts Of Q
number Of unusual personsges-but u
Is doubtful II any Of these are quite
as remarkable as the ones connected
with the career OF the Chevalier
DION. whose exploits were directly
responsible for much of the glory which
surrounds the name Of Louis XIV.
Born Mt Tonnere. France. In IT'S
Charles Genevieve Louis Auguste An
cree Timothee d'Eou de Beaumont de-
veloped 4 talent early In life for
impersonating members Of either sex
with u facility which appears to have
been little less than marvellous. In
fact. the mystery which surrounds the
true sex Of this udventurer-or adven-
turess-becomes more startling with
the examination Of each exploit Ac-
cording to contemporary historians.
d'Eon was able TO appear either as q
man or as n woman, with an case
which rendered penetration of his dis
guise impossible. and his ability in
this line gained for him 1.-THE mascu-
line pronoun being used advisedly)
position ut the head OF the secret
agents employed by Louis. and 1t was
accomplished spy who ever delved into
the secrets Of u court or OWNED the
Intention OF n ruler.
Part OF the time lie would be the
Cheyailer DION. dashing, debonnir and
fearless. Then the chevalier would
allow 1t to be known that he was
going somewhere on a visit. and a
beautiful woman-versed In all the
arts which make men open their hearts
and their lips, forgetful Of the seal Of
secrecy which they would never lift
to their closest male friend-would
appear. and another report would soon
be on Its way to the private sanctum
Of the king.
No one suspected that the dashing
chevalier and the fiirtatious coquette
were one and the same. though when
the exposure was finally made. even
his enemies had the grace to say that
dEon had fought over half Of Europe
and nirted over the other half" In
Paris. in London. In Rome and in
Genoa. the chevaller added success
after success to his long list Of VIC
tories prying Into secrets and ferret
ing out the truth when the greatest
spies Of fve Kingdoms had utterly
failed.
But It was while at the court Of the
Empress Elizabeth Of Russia, in the
feminine role, that the chevalier
achieved his crowning triumph. Eu-
rope was then on the verge Of the
Seven Years war. and Louis desired
an alliance with Russia One after an.
other the veterans Of the diplomatic
service returned to Paris, stoOp-
shonldered and beaten. The imperial
palace, they said, was closed to them.
The empress would have none Of their
advice. She was adamant In her de-
cision to stand aloof In the struggle
which was approaching.
As last resort. d'EOn was dis
patched to Moscow. and before many
weeks had passed. 1t began,to be ru-
m0red about the Russian capital that
her majesty had new maid Of honor
who appeared to have strange hold
over the queen. The girl. MS charming
as she vas pretty. was careful not to
play her cards too rapidly. but she
lost no opportunity to shift the con-
versation to a discussion Of diplomacy
and at first to suggest and then to
prove the wisdom Of IN alliance be-
tween France. Russia and Austria
against Frederick the Great Little By
little the decision Of the queen began
to crumble, and, some two weeks after
the new maid OF honor disappeared
from the paIace-whlch was about the
same time that DION was making his
report to Louis-it became known that
The alliance would be ratified At an
early date, thus completely altering
the map of Europe.
This. however. was destined to be
the chevalief.s last success. he was
growing old. and lines were appearing
n his face which Il was dlmcult 70
hide By the application OF cosmetics.
Following IN elnegt total collapse Of
his nlaaeia the Court af 81. James, in
Lsad6o. d'Esa rstirsd .fFem public life.
an6, Aprins tn - yeefs which elapsed
befere NJ d9ath b deessed cortinr
rally q . vomaa, .usiS. the name
sslgne. AsEsa.s This wsuld appear -
lenA weight TO the beaisf that b be
loaeed 70 the bemlnl1e ~. bat beyond
he fact that be vas Sns q the worlds
uper-splea, nothing definite has ever
been discovered about the ambi-sex-
trous chevallsf.