The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-13
STANLEY'S FIRST LOVE
Cupid Played a Strange Caper When
The Explorer Was a Reporter.
his Declaration of Love Before the
Footlights In an Omaha Theater
He Rose to Fame. She Fell
to the Gutter.

would Annie Ward say could she
read this announcement of the prospect
i've nuptials OF the famous explorer ? asks
n writer in the New York Times. In the
days when these two people met, toward
the close OF the sixties, Stanley was noted
for nothing save poverty And persistence
the latter a characteristic bred in his
bone, and that has beer OF incalculable
benefit To him during all these years Of
uncertainty and privation.
Annie was a variety actress who was
then g~laddcning the hearts Of that won
dcrfully large floating population stream
ing into the great plains region through
the then new city Of Omaha. She was
bright, vivacious. of very attractive figure,
and knew how To entertain. Stanley, who
had been about the city a few weeks, had,
like many others, fallen under her spell.
houng and imprcssionablc he became en-
rolled rs Ter devoted friend.
Finding means to gain admission to the
thcatcr in which she was playing-it
might have been old lack Langrishe's-
he found a seat close Ia the stage, watch
ing the coy Annie with all the eagerness
of M infatuated lover. Stanley's exist
ence seemed centered upon her. But An
ME was tickle. One night, Il is related, a
scene was precipitatcd by the lovesick
young man, who had begun tn realize that
the object of his affections was playing
fast and loose with him and was soliciting
attention from other gentlemen of larger
wealth.
On the night in question, as the story
goes. lac was in his accustomed seat in
the ~theater, n when Miss Ward came
on, IN scanty costume. to do her little
act Stanley was observed To be in a
condition OF excitement quite foreign
a.. liz a. al IL la ~
pably engaged in impressing her per-
solal'ty upon "a rather boisterols
young maj who had the reputation
of having cleaned out numerous
barrooms. and was not ON the most init
mate friends of good fellowship with the
law-loying eiement of the community.
Stanley IL said to have stepped into the
aisle In "A most dcmonstrative manner and
"A scene Of excitement followed that ter
minated only when he was summarily and
safely elected through the front door.
There were many stories related as tn
what really happened IN angry colloquy
with the actress, the public declaration
that rot he and she would be oil out Of
this world of heartaches and unrequited
love, and the final exhibition of a very
large aud dangerous revolver. Through
the prompt t~nterposition of muscular
spectators who didn't so much object To
blood letting as Ia the disruption of the
programme aud the possible unsatisfac-
upfN t'fiiililislpl Oh TIE evening = enter
taiDIneDt Annie Ward was nabled to
get out of range Of Stanley's weapon, and
Stanley was elected. Annie was saved To
lie al alcoholic exccsses. and Stanley To
discover Livingstone and make known
the secrets Of the Dark Continent.
SANKEY'S life at that time was "A pecu-
liar one. lie had knocked about the west
a good deal, and had done some fair
newspaper work Oh a military expedition.
Dropping into Omaha, he was for a time
out of employment, and developed into a
splendid specimen Of poverty aud general
hard luck. His p~antaloons were out at
the heels, hts shoes were apologies for
foot gear, his linen even a Chinaman
would have scorned, and his stock Of fian-
mel shirts reduced to one. He would get a
job now and then on one Of the Omaha
dailics-a days work., no more, at a time.
As for lodgings, he had nome. and one
of the city editors Of that period relates
how Stanley would appear nightly at the
editorial rooms Of the Republican and
solicit the privilege of sleeping there. for
to pay for "A bed elsewhere. Il
was invariably accorded him, and
he made his couch by scraping together
a lot of. old newspapers a soft
ening up the dictionary for a pillow with
"a few Chicago or New York exchanges.
There he spent his nights in refreshing
sleep, with no covering save papers and
making his toilet on arising as best he
could In the composing room, he would
start out every afternoon To skirmlsh for
food and "A job.
Soon afterwards Stanley went To New
York, aud latter he was in Abyssinia,
, spain, and then Africa. Now lac Is
"a bc married where Englands
kings and queens have been
crowned aud buried, aud where he him
self may some day find his place of sep
ulchre. should not some mysterious cor
ncr of that almost unknown region of
Central Africa claim him as its victim.
Another of stanley's Low. AGsirs.
Here is a new love story about Henry
NJ. Stanley, told upon the authority Of ex-
senator Henderson. Years ago, when
Stanley was "a young reporter on the st
Louis Giobr, h. was sent to describe the
proceedings Of "A commission of which
General Henderson was a member, tc
: negotiate treaties with several Indian
tribes. In this way General Henderson
: came To know young Stanley very well
. Years passed and Stanley had entered I'll.
Z service of the Herald. and had described
a war in Abyssinia. On his way homs
from Abyssinia Stanley stopped at Athen,
and there lac fell desperately in love with
, "A young lady. Tie wrote a long letter u
General Henderson,d describing his passion
: aud its object, and declaring that he mus
/, wed this maid of Athens or abandon hops
l and life itself.
He appealed to General Henderson Il
= write him a letter dated in the Unites
States senate chamber and recommend
! ing him To the favorable consideration o
|, the guardians of his Athsuian inamorata
4 General Henderson did not write as ne
> quested, principally because SANKEY'S let
ter had been so Iona reaching him hat Ia
. / M - ill., d. ..nIxs a.Ilraaa.l A.. a.