The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-26
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leader rather than to the British officer
in actual command.
Rather than see their employer and
hero fall into the hands of the Beers
who have offered a reward of $25 600 for
his capture dead or alive, they will fight
to the death.
The busting of the Beers shells and
their bayonet charges upon fine towns
intrenchments have no terrors for this
doughty millinaire. He has been
fighter as well as a capitalist for the
past ten or fifteen years.
He brought on and fought to a finish,
the Metabele war of 1893. the result of
which added the big territory Of Rho
desia to the British map of South Africa.
native uprising is no more 20 him
than battle on the Stock Exchange to
New York millionaires. He has fought
his way to the possession of 800 100000
in gold, diamond and vast tracts of land.
Wherever Rhodes has gone heretofore
success has followed him, and he has
become known as the Colossus of South
Africa. The people of South Africa be-
lieve him invincible. He is the greatest
part of Kimberleys garrison.
Such a man is the present guardian OF
the two New York young women.
But because Cecil Rhodes is there the
Beers are more anxious to capture Kim
berley. President Kruger, of the Boer
Republic, hates Rhodes as a mortal and
personal enemy The Dutch President
has declared that he would rather cap
ture Rhodes than take 10000 British
soldiers prisoners of seize any British
stronghold
The Beers allies from the adjoining
Orange Free State are steadily sending
fresh troops to the seige Of Kimberley
Every day the Gordon of the enemies
tightens around the city.
The two young women who are placed
in such a hazardous position have both
won their way into New York social and
artistic circles within a few years.
Amalia Kussner has painted miniatures
of most of New Yorks society leaders,
as well as of the Emperor and Empress
of Russia, the Prince of Wales, and many
members of English nobility. She has
been showered with the most costly gifts
and jewels from royalty.
Coming to New York in 1893, from her
Southern home, she made an immediate
success from the first portrait she paint
ed of Mrs. Theodore Havemeyer.
1t was lost art that Miss Kussner re-
vived and in a short time it became
social fad among the leaders of the"Four
Hundred" to have their beauty preserved
in the classic form of miniatures. Mrs.
John Jacob Aston Mrs. Lorillard Spenc-
er and Mrs. Van Rensselaer, are few of
those whom Miss Kussner first painted
in New York. AS she charges thous-
and dollars for each of these dainty
works of art, 1t is evident that only the
very rich can afford such luxuries.
It is said that Miss Kussner makes an
income of $4,000 a year from her por-
trait painting. She is passionate lover
of the beautiful in every form. She used
to live at the Windsor Hotel and her
apartments there were a garden Of roses
and rare flowers at all seasons of the
| year.
Miss Kusner left New York tst jan
| uary, when she went to London to paint
some noted English men and women.
| From there she was commanded to ap-
| pear at the Russian court, where she
made miniatures Of the Car and Car
ina After receiving the greatest royal
favors she returned to England.
Partly for a pleasure trip and partly
| to execute commissions that she had re-
| ceived to paint the portraits of promi-
nent people in Cape Colony, among them
| Cecil Rhodes, she went to South Africa
| This accounts for how she came to get
| into the present embarrassing situation.
The friends of Nancy Banks in New
| York were astonished when twas learned
a fortnight ago that she, too, had gone
to the Transvaal But they are not sur
| prised at the nerve and pluck which she
| has displayed. She is a native of Ken
| lucky, and has the dash and daring for
which girls from that chivalrous state
are noted.
She is splendid horsewoman, delights
in hunting and all outdoor sport. She
| is tall, with an exquisitely formed figure,
and is graceful IN every movement. She
has a striking type of beauty as we'll
Added to these attractions Nancy Banks
| is a brilliant young woman in an intel
| lectual way Stairs of Sand" which
appeared several years ago, was widely
read. yellow Lilies, is another piece
| of fiction of hers that created much COM
ment. For several years she has been
| on the staff Of the Bookman Magazine,
| and has been a contributor to Harper's
! Bazaar and the popular monthly maya
| zines.
Nancy Banks was one Of the most pop
! ular members of the Board of LadyMan-
ayers at the Worlds Fair. She was also
| connected with the Department of Pub
| licity. She has lived In New York since
| the close of the Worlds Fair. Owing to
| her unusual beauty and charm, Nancy
| Banks is extremely popular here, and has
made a distinct social success. She dress
! es with exquisite taste, usually in black.
! Nancy Banks went TO London last May
| for a Summer of rest and recreation, in
/ tending to return here in the Fall. She
! had engaged passage home on the steam
! ship St Louis. sailing September 30.
| Ten DAYS before this war rumors had
| become rife. and London newspaper Of
| fered her a handsome salary to go to
| South Africa. Yielding to the alluring
! prospect of interesting experiences on the
| frontier she accepted. and started at two
| days notice on the steamship Norman
| for Cane Town.
| What would be the fate Of the two New
York girls should thew fal into the hands
| of the Beers is uncertain. AS an act Of
! courtesy on account Oh ldeAT hdbuiidIltS
! they might be paroled and sent hack IN
to British territory beyond the fighting
lines.
But as they have so associated them
selves with Cecil Rhodes. whom the Bo-
ers hate so cordially. It is possible that
these American young women would be
/ hustled Of 70 Pretoria. the Boer capital,
like British prisoners, and kept there till
the war IS over.