The morning call., 1892-05-04
RETURNED At MEALTIME.
Stagestruck LeOnie Peters Was
Not Shanghaied.
shs Shipped With Captain Paul Jones, but
Deserted to Save Rer Lover From
Felon's Awful Doom.

14COHio L cteTS is nome again from IOT-
eign shore. She drfted back to the pater-
nal haven at 204 Golden Gate avenue
yesterday noon in time for lunch. after a
romantic but Improbable cruise among the
provinces on board the good ship Never
sink, belonging to travelling orera COM
pany, Captain Paul Jones commanding. AS
soon as Leonie had eaten something she
was forgiven, and now all is peace and joy
and brightness.
AT flrst Leonie's folks thought that the
precocious maiden had been shanghaied by
one Charles Lanham, a gay butcher-boy
from indianapolis. who wears a white tie
with embroidery on it. So Charles was
arrested and thrown into prison on charge
OF stealing the fair Leonie, who is de-
scrlbed as beautiful maiden of 16 summers,
with highly cultivated voice. large, lus-
trouS roomy eyes. and wealth of luxuri-
ant terra-c0tta curls that repose round
about and over her shapely shoulders like
an old gold mantle.
While Charles was languishing in the
peastly bas'ile Leonie was far away on the
pounding main all unconscious of his fear
iul tate. Instead of Charles committing
grand larceny on Leonie. as alleged. that
adventurous damsel had shipped as able
seaman. strange countries for to see. and
was Drandishing tin battleax in the rear
row OF AmaZons on hoard the NeveTsink
at so much per brandish, and the hope of
future greatness in the comic opera line;
Tor, though very young and tender, LeoDie
is ambitions.
Monday night the Neversink was storm
ing the coast defenses at Fresno and Leonie
with her blood-stained battleax was help
Ing TO repel baldheaded bOarders that came
OF in small boats During a lull in the
possibilities LeOnie had leisure to scan the
latest dispatches from home, ana then for
the first time she learned that the unfor-
tunate butcher-bOy, who loved her so dearly,
had been falsely accused and thrown into
prison among lot OF common DRINKS and
petty larceny thieves who made fun OF his
lovely white tie.
SHE DESERTS THE SHIP.
Leonie at once decided to desert and fly
TO the rescue of the suffering Charles, whom
she knew must be growing tired Of slabbers
ara coffee three times per day. This heroic
determination of the noble maiden was
further strengthened by an accident that
happened on shipboard that same evening.
While lodging q large bouquet in the heat
OF battle Captain Paul Jones stepped into
TIE iorehatch and broke her leg. Was not
Deonle Peters liable TO some day be pro-
NOTED for meritoriuus conduct at sea and
nave her own legs exposed TO open hatch
ways and the danger that in them turks?
To be chorus-girl on crutches was not
the yearning desire OF LeOnie Peters young
life, though In some Instances ilesG-tin ted
clutches would be an improvement on ma
lures props. However this has nothing to
do with Leonie and her escape from the
Neversnk. Hastily bidding her shlpmateS
good-by the daring girl gave away her
ciothes-bag and hammock, tied up a small
bundle of curios FROM the shores of Peta-
luna and Fresno, which she dashed to her
back, aud then swan ashore in the dead of
night.
Fur the first half-mile Leonie swan under
water to elude the sentry on the foreeastle,
but she might have saved herself the trouble
and kept her hair dry, as he was looking
the other way at the time. On reaching
land she secured change of clothing and
took the first train to San Francisco. She
arrived in the city shortly before noon, and
at once went to the office of Attorney
Mack, who is handling Lanham's side of
tho case. Here she emphaticaly denied
that Charles had stolen her away.
Her ambition was to become an opera
singer, and with that end in view she
had joined the travelling opera company
and was going East. All went well until
she learned OF the fix Charles was ia.
Then she at once deserted and came back
TO save him from fel0n's doom. Further
than that the young lady declined to state,
She talked in q business-like way of her
operate prospects aud how she had volun-
taIily thrown them away rather than see
an Innocent man suffer. Then she went
home to lunch and TO recount her perilous
adventures and hairbreadth excapes by land
and sea.
TWO HAPPY REUNIONS.
There was happy reunion at the Peters
home when the wandeTer returned, but out
siders were not allowed TO participate.
Reporters were religiously excluded. as the
seafariug maiden did not care to be inter-
viewed. Later In the afternoon another
happy reunion took place in Judge Loves
court Charles Lanham. charged with girl
stealing. was up for hearing His mother
and sister were present wlth his lawyer,
Arthur Mack William Peters, father OF
the girl, told the Judge that LeOnie went
away of her own free will, came back the
same way and that Charles, like the flowers
in spring, had nothing to do with the case.
On this statement Lanbam was allowed to
go on his own recOgniZance, and on Thurs
day, when the case comes up before the
Judge for final hearing, the accused will no
doubt be hOnora0ly discharged. Thus
endeth the first chapter in the romantic
career OF Charles Lanham and Leonie
Peters.
1t was one week ago yesterday that Miss
Peters disappeared and the following Sun
stance Of Mr.. Peters The young couple
had known each other for about two
months, and as Charles appeared much de-
voted the parents naturally thought that he
had enIiced her away. What gave color to
/ this theory was the fact that they were seen
together on Market street the day before
the girl left home. 1t has since developed
that this was only q chance meeting, but it
was reported TO Mr.. Peters, and Charles
refusal TO dvulge her whereabouts for O
short space Of time following the disap-
pearance caused his arrest on the charge
above stated. The girl, who is an accom-
pliShed musician. has been stagestruck for
some time. Her parents had given her per-
mission 10 appear on the local stage, but she
wanted to begin in a small town. Leonie
did so with the complications and adven-