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Show I MADE HISTORY I By JAMES C. YOUNG. ( by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) THE EMPRESS WHO TURNED VAMPIRE. MANY women have won power and luxury by their beauty. This is the story of an empress, turned vampire, who raised a shepherd boy to a position near her own and whose fancy led her to love men of all degree. de-gree. Peter the Great of Russia and Catherine, Cath-erine, his servant girl queeu, left a daughter, Elizabeth. She became era-press era-press of Russia, and before that had earned a reputation for lightly loving many men. Alexis tiaxoum, born In 1709, son of a poor shepherd, was a wondrously handsome boy, with innocent face and curly hair. One of the Imperial officers, passing through the village on a Sunday, chanced into the church and heard Alexis sing. He persuaded the boy's parents to let him take the lad to Moscow, Mos-cow, where he might get instruction. And the officer obtained a place for Alexis In the cathedral attended by Elizabeth. It was not long until his tine voice attracted notice. Elizabeth heard him and was captivated. Shi' ordered that he be added to the chor Isters in her private chapel, without even seeing Alexis. But when he came to the chapel she saw the innocent face, soft eyes and gentle demeanor of this wonder-boy, and Immediately she lost her heart to him. He was Installed In-stalled in the palace, with the richest garments and all that luxury could command. The shepherd boy was living liv-ing a fairy tale come true. Elizabeth's love for Alexis did not prevent her from dallying with sterner members of his sex. But Alexis was her one true love and she refused many royal alliances. She delighted to see him dressed In fine garments and would sit entrance while his silvery voice tinkled through her apartments. He could have been emperor had he willed. Alexis did not come from the stuff of which emperors em-perors are made. He was just a beautiful youngster with a marvelous voice and the soft graces of an artistic nature. If we wished to be unkind we might say that he preferred to be the lapdog of an empress rather than her master. Perhaps Elizabeth's love may be explained ex-plained by a fable of La Fontaine. A Brahmin turned a mouse Into a beautiful beauti-ful maiden. He offered her for hus- band to the sun, the wind, the stars, I but she wanted none of them and j would have no husband until she saw I n mouse, which charmed her heart. I Elizabeth was the daughter of a peas-j peas-j ant and Alexis a shepherd's boj. |