Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-22
AN ACTRESS NOVEL FAD.

From the New York Star.

From the New York Star.
Some actresses take to horses, some to itera
ture, some to collecting bric-a-brac and few
to drink, but Lillian Lewis has the most move
fad Of them all. She is an Oklahoma boomer
More than that, she has been down into Indian
territory; penetrated the Oklahoma country on
horseback, piloted by the late notorious Belle
Starr; staked her claim and planted long.
haired cowboy on it with Winchester repeat.
ing rifle and q bootleg full of bowie knives.
Up to couple of years ago she was pretty
well known to New York theater-goers as a
handsome, well-formed young woman, with q
good voice and attractive stage presence and
considerable ability. Then she dropped out OF
sight, She had taken to the road as the chief
stellar attraction in play written for her by
Lawrence Marston
Yes, 1 suppose I'm a boomer" she said with
a little laugh that shook her blonde bangs like
a western zephyr through the sage brush Then
she got serious. 'It's just the grandest coun-
try In the world I'm going to live there when
TN not on the road. It's too lovely"
How about Belle Starr?"
'Oh, how did you hear about that?" This
with deprecatory giggle and shrug Of the
shoulders. But she is really not SO bad as she
Is painted She called on me at Fort smith. /
was at the hotel one day looking out of the
window when up rode woman at full speed.
She slid down from her horse as easily as a man
would, handed the bride to stable boy and
then stepping up to a bootblack put up her
dainty boots and had them polished Just like a
man. She wanted to talk with me about the
Younger brothers, the three brothers sent to
prison for life in Minnesota for the Mortified
bank robbery. l was Minnesota woman and
knew them through their friends. Belle Starr
claimed to have been married to Cole Younger
the eldest bro Their.
Senator Washburn Of Fort Smith, who rep
resents that district in the Arkansas Legislature
and Is a fuli-blooded Cherokee Indian, had put
the idea of pre-empting a claim in my head,
and when told Belle Starr about it she said
she would be my guide. Without stopping to
think it over much took her at her word. and
the next day, accompanied by my brother, we
started for Oklahoma. 1t is the grandest coun-
try in the world. We went zoo miles on horse
back and camped out every night, and had a
right royal time.
Belle Starr was character. She swore and
smoked and talked slang just like man. bu,
she Was kind-hearted and splendid guide, and
she couldn't have been kinder to me if had
been her sister.
Il picked out claim l60 acres, on the Red
fork of the Arkansas river, between Oklanom
and Sapuipa, and then / put man there to
hold my claim when the country was opened
up. which l knew wouldn't be long 1t has
cost me considerable money already, but
don't care; 1t is the most beautiful place in
the world"
Here the recollections of the wild and woody
country overcame Miss Lillian. and she clasped
her hands tragically and continued:
oh, but there'll be blood there before it IL
settled. was afraid of it, and it is bound to
come"
The actress likes everything in the southwest
that can be named except the cooking of the
Indians in the territory. That she declares the
worst on earth. She would have starved OH her
booming expedition if it hadn't been for the
culinary skill of Belle Starr
As a mem into of her trip Miss Lewis car
ries pair of tame wolves-lean, ugly, sneak
ing fellowship stink behind her chair and
watch the visitor with q hungry, green CLINT
in their eyes. They have an aversion to
poodle dogs and consider them Joint prev
which makes it rather embarrassing for Miss
Lewis when she leads them out to get a
breathing spell.