Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-09-26

More Than $1,000 During Her Fourteen
Months Journey Aside From Her Purse.
Some Exciting Experiences.
With her left arm in sling and her
cheeks bronzed from exposure. Miss An
ME Londonderry sat in the house of
friend at 20S East Broadway and chat
ted about her trip around the world on
a bicycle.
She is the remarkable young woman,
just 90, who started from the statehouSe
in Boston juno 90, 1894, with a 40
pound bicycle and an empty purse to
wheel around the world. This rash and
foolhardy trip was, she says, the out
come of discussion between DIR. Albert
Reeder and John Dove, a wealthy bust
ness man, over the failure of young
man who had started out to make
round the globe trip. One Of the men
said it could not be made. Miss London
derry, who was reporter on the Boston
Globe, knowing the physician, told him
she would make the journey, although
up to that time she had never ridden
wheel The doctor was dubious at first,
but as she was in earnest he held a eau
Gus with Mr.. Dove, and they submitted
proposition. She was to start out pen
niless, make the trip entirely by wheel,
except where ocean journeys were nee,
essary, earn s., 900 while pursuing her
way and arrive in Boston within 10
months from the date of her start. If
she succeeded, she was to receive &c.
900 on her arrival in Boston. The young
woman, who for travelling purposes is
known as Miss Londonderry, after two
lessons on the bicycle, which was pre-
scented to her, went to Chicago and
wheeled east. She had 40 pound
wheel, but exchanged it for one weigh
ing 90, and upon her arrival in New
York sailed on La Touraine She arrived
here again Sunday, having won the
wager, and with s., 900 amassed during
her trip.
II met with royal reception every
where during my trip" she said last
night, "but l wouldn't take it again
for 100000. When reached San Fran
cisco, didn't care anything about the
wager. All l prayed for was that
might get back home alive. The wheel
men and wheelwomen of Paris gave me
a reception and an opportunity to make
money by lecturing Many accompanied
me part way on my journey" Here she
exhibited parchment presented to her
by the Colonial marines, whose band
accompanied her out of Paris.
1T was in China, though, that first
met with serious difficulty. This was in
January last. lost my way and got
somewhere near battle and was shot
in the left shoulder. l lost nearly a
month through this misfortune. Then ]
found out that the best way was to wear
Chinese costume, which did. But l
wore my boomers underneath. The
boomers took the place of skirts soon
after | started found that with a
skirt | could only make about 40 miles
day, but with the boomers could go
65 or more.
In China the people thought l was
devil, but my passports prevented
molestation, and the authorities treated
me very kindly. The sights saw there
were terrible-dogs eating wounded
and dying soldiers and the dead lying
on the field at Port Arthur month
after the fight In Japan found that,
while in the large cities it was not nee
essary to disguise myself, yet outside
made better progress in Japanese cos
tune. got along with the Japanese all
right and received an escort through
Korea. Still think the Japanese more
cold blooded than the Chinese. In India
made pretty good progress, but found
the people very superstitious. | was
taken before the head man of each vii
lage, but my passports and few rupees
judiciously spent always sent me we'll
on in my travels. ! had most enjoy
able ride through Palestine.
''You would suppose my troubles over
when reached San Francisco but they
weren't. was received grandly and
we'll entertained by the local wheel
men But later l was held up by two
highwaymen OH the borders of Califor-
MIA. They got nothing, and allowed me
to proceed. In crossing the Great Amer
lean desert tnere were no rOdus, anu
had to ride on the railroad tracks. Ny
wheel broke down, and had to walk GO
miles to the nearest town. fell sick in
China and was attended by French
physician, who was travelling part Of
the way with me. He died month
later.
I'm Iowa was coasting down hill
when saw drove Of pigs ahead. They
wouldn't get out of the road, and
couldn't stop. When l got up, l found
that my left wrist was broken. had to
ride Is miles to get to doctor, and the
wrist had to be broken again and reset
in Chicago My journey ended in Chi
oago, nearly three weeks ahead of time.
When got there, was 800 short on
my $1,000. / had made the money by
lecturing in France, China, Japan, In
dia and in this country, and had hard
ly any expenses. Travellers took my
trunks ahead with them, SO l did not
spend a dollar for baggage. Twas going
TO sell my wheel for 500 to make up