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Show "VAMPS" WHO I MADE HISTORY By JAMES C. YOUNG. 8 l by -McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) THE VAMPIRE WHO NEVER GREW ' OLD. A LITTLE Frenh girl born In 1015 had read Montaigne at ten, and showed signs of beauty no less reniark-tihle reniark-tihle than her intelligence. At thirteen slie assured a priest who lectured her for misbehavior that all religion wa Imagination, and intimated that the. both knew it was not to be taken seri-iWisly. seri-iWisly. At fifteen she was enjoying the favor of Richelieu and we have the frord of Voltaire that "he was her first fover, and she was probably his last Mistress." This girl was Ninon de L'Enclos, Fho grew to be the most celebrated jyoinun of her age. At twenty-three ho had accumulated a small fortune, iul throughout the remainder of her feighty-nine years she helped to shape the destinies of men and nations. Anna of Austria, queen of France, and one of the most powerful figures In Europe, Eu-rope, found bCrseU powerless against Jtlnpn, Salnt-Evremond, the writer, loved 'Ninon all of her life. Voltaire was her .friend and defender. Her lovers included in-cluded the great Conde. foremost military mili-tary leader of his time. The best brains and blood of France gathered in Jier salen, and mothers anxiously sought entrance for their sons, that they might mingle In this wit and elegance. ele-gance. It was the special delight of Ninon to beseech and win favors from ministers, to make some poor poet rich over night. She distributed wealth, life and laughter with a lavish hand. One old man named Des Vvetenux, who had vainly sought her affection, died with a bit of yellow ribbon which she had given him clasped In his hand. .lust fancy that bit of ribbon as the most precious thing in ills life! Ninon's epigrams are famous. "Do you know why love is dangerous?" she asked. "Because people will persist In thinking It sublime IV She, who had been loved so often, took love lightly. To her It was an episode which might be-.come be-.come tragic If treated seriously. So she lived lightly and happily to her ninetieth year, and was still a beautiful beauti-ful woman when past seventy-five. One former admirer who visited her not long before her death has left this sweet tribute : "Cupid had retreated Into the llttla wrinkles around her eyes." |