The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-11-23
MRS. JOHN G. nEEAAn.
Sara Stevens Tells tho Story Of Hell
Courtship with the Prize-Fighter.

Courtship with the rize-Fighter.
The other afternoon reporter
found, at her rooms on Market
street, the widow of John c. Heen-
an. She is known as Mrs. Sara
Stevens, having resumed her maid
en- name while playing in the Girls
mer-Davis company, with which
combination she has been travelling
When approached on the subject
of her marriage with Mr.. Heenan,
she said to an S. F. Examiner re-
porter:
81 was a mere girl, playing at
Laura Keene's Theater, in New
York, when / was told that Mr..
Heenan came often to the theater
to see me on the stage. The idea
seemed ridiculous, as | was SO slight
and small and not playing parts
where I showed to much advantage.
One night he occupied a box, and
the papers were publishing his chal-
lenge to the world.
II dislike everything connected
with the ring, and thought that all
those people ought to be in the war
where there was real fighting. |
told the manager I was going to get
off joke at Heenan's expense, and
he forbade me, as he said Heenan
was good patron Of the place, and
people often came to see him in the
audience. / couldn't help doing it,
however, and l was aele to do so
without changing a word in my
part. When l came to the line
which read: Call able-bodied men
ought to fight for their country" l
rendered it this way: Cali able
bodied men ought to fght"-then
turning to Heenan's box, and walk
ing over toward it, I continued in a
louder tone-"for their country"
The effect was instantaneous on the
audience, and a great shout went
up and general handclapping. Heen-
an put his hands to his face and
burst out laughing, and when the
audience ceased to applaud he clap
ped his hands approvingly and this
started another outburst, and even
the manager, who threatened to dis
charge me if guyed Heenan, I saw
laughing behind the scenes. 1t was
play called the Seven Sisters, a
burlesque.
"Next day a lady in the company.
whose husband knew Heenan, told
me that Heenan desired an intro
duction. I declined, as | had hor'
ror of fighters, but the request was
renewed, and I sent back word that
when he gave Up gambling and prize
fighting I would be glad to meet
himl l supposed nothing would
come of this, but next day | re-
ceived a marked copy of Wilkes
Spirit of the Times, in which the
announcement was made that Heen
| an had withdrawn his challenge te
the world and had also sold out biz
interest in gambling saloon in
New York.
II was quite astonished, and be-
ing yet girl, was also pleased, fo1
it hattered my vanity that while the
whole country was wondering why
Heenan had withdrawn his chal
lenge to the world l alone knew the
real cause. He was presented te
me that afternoon, and l was sur
prised to meet man so gentle and
manly, and after admiring him g
week or two I fell hopelessly in love
and secretly married him, for my
parents opposed the match. Ar
odd selection this giant made for
wife-I only weighed 10 pounds al
the time. 1t seemed queer that ht
should have ever admired me.
There was look in the woman's
eyes, however, that did not make
the matter seem 80 strange after all