The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-12-03
A PUGILlST'S BRIDE.
MRS. JOHN c..HEENAN TEtLs TIE
ST0RY or HER COURTSHIP.
German Restrictions ON Dancing-Queer
Superstittfons of tho Hindoos-Wed-
ding Dress in the wild West.

The other afternoon a reporter found,
at her rooms on Market street, the widow
of John C. Heenan. She is known as
Mrs. Sara Stevens. having resumed her
maiden name while PLAYING in the Girls
mer-Davis Company. with which com
bination she has been travelling.
When approached on the subject of her
marriage with Mr.. Heenan, she said:-
Il was q mere girl, playing. at Laura
Keene's Theatre in New York, when l
was told that Mr.. Heenap came often 10
the theatre to see me on the stage Ine
idea seemed ridiculous, as | was soslgh9
and small, and not playing parts where |
showed to much advantage. One night
he occupied u box, and the papers were
/ publishing his challenge to the world.
II disliked everything connected with
the ring, and thought that all those peo-
pie ought to be in the war where there
was real fighting. / told the manager 1
was going TO get off a joke at Heenan's
expense, and he forbade me, as he said
Heenan was q good patron of the place.
and people often came to see him IN the
audience. Icoutdn't help doing it, how
Fever, and vas able to doso without chang
ing a word in my part. When came to
the line which read:-sAl ~able-bodled
men ought to fight for their country, |
rendered it this way:-'All a~ble-bodled
men ought to fght'-theu turning to
Heenan's box, and walking over toward
it, / continued in a louder tone-'for their
country
'"The effect was instanteous on the
audience, and a great shout Went up ana
general ha~ndelapping. Heenan put his
hand to his face and burst out laughing
and when the audience ceased to applaud
he clapped his hands ~approvingly and this
started another outburst, n even the
manager who threatened TO discharge me
if | guyed Heenan / saw laughing behind
the scenes. 1t was a play called The
Seven Sisters q burlesque.
Next day q lady in the company,
whose husband knew Heenan, told rae
that Heenan desired.an introduction. !
declined, as | had a horror of fighters,
but the request was renewed. and sent
prize fighting / would be glad to meet
him. / supposed nothing would come
of this, but next day | received a marked
copy of Wilkes Spirit of the Times, in
which the announcement was made that
Heenan had withdrawn his challenge to
the world, and had also sold outhls inter-
est in a gambling saloon in New York
81 was quite astonished, and being yet
a girl, was also pleased, for it fattered
my vanity that while the whole country
was wondering why Heenan had with
drawn his challenge to the world alone
knew the real cause. He was presented
to me that afternoon, and | was surprised
to meet a man so gentle and manly. and
after admiring him a week or two ] fell
hopelessly in love and secretly married
him, for my parents opposed the match.
An odd selection this giant made for a
wife--I only weighed 40 pounds at the
time. It seemed queer that he should
ever have admired me-"
There was a look in the woman's eyes.
however, that did not make the matter
seem so strange after al.-SGn Francisco
EGanltneT.