Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-07
CIRCUS RING TO PALACE.
Remarkable Career of Kate Stetson,
Who Died the Other Day.

The death of Mrs. John Stetscn, in Bos-
ton, has started flood of "reminiscences of
her remarkably romartic career. The chi
cago News remembers her VIII IN her father
used to run the Stokes Amphtheater in
that city, and itching Katie would run
into the ring like a blaze of superb lowell
ness, toss her hair and leap to the horses
bare back She smiled and grew rosy in
the most bewildering fashion, and was al
ways care fully watched by her mother, who
never allowed anybody else to chaperon
her charming little daughter
When Kate grew into womanhood she
was taken away from the sawdust ring
and placed in boarding school. Still her
mother atcked over her, and her father
surrounded her with such simple luxuries
as his circus savings allowed.
Just when the II NOR that Stetson would
marry FeiEona Jarbeau was rife Kate
Stokes cfi peroned by her comey mother,
was a frequent guest at John Stetsons
Fifth AvCi lie Tkeater, in New York. Stet-
son was completely captivated by the
handsome circus rider, and through his in
f1ueEce the fearless euuestrieGne secured
an appearance in legitimate comedy, for
which she not only had an ardent penchant,
but considerable talent.
She was tail as Shakesreares Rosalind
and had astonis hing muscular strength,
coupled with the daintiest of curves and
delicately femirh.e beauty of outline.
She married StetSon and the manager
squandered his money upon his lovely
wife. There was between them that un-
emotional. placid sort of sulky devotion
sometimes observable in compatibly mated
pairs in peasartry or bourgeois couples.
Stetson permitted Kate all sorts of liber-
ties, and Kate took them neither greedily
Tor indiffcrently. but as due, with no par
nf nh md HOY off IN
for John was deep rCcted and big hearted
In winter she was a wonderfully active
creature, always out wrapped from her
lovely black head to her tiny feet in costly
furS. She had Russian vehicles. toboggan
sleds and hors es of her own selection.
In summer she had one of the triggest
steam anG sail yachts among Boston craft,
and often went on long cruises alone, with
her crew and a few corCenial spirits Her
sailor suits We're wonderfully swagger af-
fairs, usually imported, and always orig
inal and immensely fetching. Sometimes
in her hunting trips and long sails about in
strange waters she WOULD arm herself with
pquant brace of pistols. set in jewels and
stuck in leather belt, studded with gold,
and made more amusirgly terrific by
jeweled dagger showing its hilt and sheath
tip.
Her jewels were fabulous in price and
once in while exceptional in value. She
owned one or two OF the worlds most cele-
brated gems, and had corcnets, necklaces
and bundle OF garter buckles not equaled
by the treasures of any other Boston
DANES private casket.
The splendid Stetson castle. which sits
obstreperously up in the polished ward of
Commonwealth, avenue, has never been
consecrated by Boston swelldom, but it
was a great place just the same, and en-
tertainments of solid if somewhat ostenta-
tious hospitality brightered it's years, and
Mr.. ard Mrs. Stetson grew to be most hap
py in their pleasant Bohemian circle of
friends, who We're always glad of an invi-
tation to visit the big house.