The Russellville Democrat., 1891-05-07
she Gives a History of Her Life and Tells Many Interesting Things About
 Her Mother.

Pearl Younger, daughter of the famous Belle Starr, lwas at Fort Smith Thursday in the interest of her brother, who is in the peniten- tiary at Columbus, O. While in that city she was interviewed by a Times reporter:
 "Where do you live now2" asked the reporter.
 'sI live one and half miles from Tamaha, I. T., or eight miles from Pheasant's Bluff, now called Blaine, on the Arkansas river. I have been there about six weeks, having been at my gSandmother's in Vernon county, Mo-, where 1 was born. About that time was accused in the papers of being engaged in horse stealing escapade in Texas. Why, that was absurd. I never wore men's clothes in my life, and never carried a pistol or Winchester, though l have prac- ticed little with both, and never en- gagged in any criminal escapades in my life. l always have been fond of horses and am considered good rider.''
 ssYes,n interrupted Harris, tshe is the finest rider in the country, bareback, in the saddle, or without bridle."
 Pearl resumed, blushing: "I don't know about that"
 "Will you tell us something of your history?" inquired the reporter.
 1T was born in Vernon county, Mo-, in 1868. I am now 23 years of age, and was principally raised there by my grandmother, Su- san D. Reed. My father was Capt. Jas. Reed, who married my mother in Carthage, Mo-, though she never loved him. My mother never mar- ried Cole Younger, as has been re- ported. I have never been inter- viewed by reporter before, but 1 will tell you the truth. My mother was the daughter of John Shirley, a wealthy farmer and hotel keeper of Carthage, Mo, who kept hotel there before the war sixteen years. My mother was always 6 wild, reckless girl, loving pistols and fast horses, and 1t was there that during the war she met the Younger, James and Reed boys. My mothers brother, Ed. Shirley, was murdered, and she pledged herself to marry James Reed, the son of wealthy Jasper \ county farmer, . wild, reckless yOnth, who was in love with her, but whose attentions she did not en- courage. if he (Reed) would
 ,AvKNGE HER BROTHERS DEATH.
 s.Reed did avenge my uncle's death, killing his murderer, and my mother married him. Reed, the Younger and the James boys banded themselves together and my mother joined them. My mother moved to the Indian Territory at a place called Younger's Bend, Cherokee Nation, on the Canadian river, thirty miles from Tamsha and seven miles from he home of Tom Starr. Here they Ade their headquarters and carried
 kheir depredations. I often tried
 rsnade my mother to give up
 i'd life, but she would not do
 Near the house, small three
 cedar log cabin, was a cedar
 five or six miles square, the
 rs twice as large as a mans
 and with such spreading nches and SO thick that one man could not see another twenty feet away. This brake is thinned out now and is quite a settlement. Here was the hiding place in which my mother and her companions success fully evsded all pursuit of the off, cers of the law.
 t'My mother always wanted me to call myself Pesrl Younger, after ; Cole Younger, who some people say is my fsther, but (blushiDg) James Reed is my y{sther. My mother sent me to schooSat school house near Youngeris BendNand at Parsons, Kas., in 1883 and 1884, and al- ways went to school when with my grandmother in Vernon county, Mo. There have been many things pub. lished about my mother that were untrue, but she always kept from me any Of her expeditions with the Younger and James boys. joined the Baptist church ia 1888, and my egrahd-mother' people on both sides are very religions. Everybody who came to my mamma's house was well treated, all reports to the con krary notwithstanding. The home place is deserted, all the shrubbery kn the yard that used to be there has been taken out and the place looks Areary. My mother had three brothers killed during the war and tny father, James Reed, had a brother killed, and my father killed his murderer. Rewards amounting { tc SIG, ,000 were offered for papa, Eknd he was killed by his pursuers st Mckinney, Tex. My papa loved my mother when she was little girl because she played Dixie upon the