Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1900-01-04

In Panama, there arrived on a South
Pacific steamer Lcona Dare. the young
trapeze. artist Having missed the
north bound steamer, she and her as
sistants were compelled 10 remain ten
days on the Isthmus.
"She was slender and dark-eyed, Of
medium height and with a figure so
slight that I was not astonished that
south American journalists had fire.
quently declared that she was boy.
Years passed, and 1 heard echoes
from European newspapers Of her ball
loon ascensions, and now here we were
face to face in New York at luncheon.
Her beauty was heightened by years,
and she told me that from childhood
until three years ago she was in con-
slant training.
My father, Andrew Jackson Stuart,
was q Scotchman by descent, born In
Georgia. He served in the Mexican waS
and afterward settled at Iuka, Miss.
He brought back from that war not on
ly the rank Of colonel but my mother,
who was a Mexican.
When the war OF the rebellion
broke out ] was a little girl and the
last saw OF my father he rode away
to join cavalry regiment. He never
came back, having been killed In bat
I tie. The Federal army coming TO the
vicinity OF our home. my mother, with
my two brothers and myself refugeed''
as we called it, into Indiana.
AT the close Of the war my moth
or went South TO see If she could find
any remains Of our property, and
have never seen her since. She had left
US in the care Of neighbors. who turned
us over to the poormaster, who
promptly farmed us out
" The people with whom / was
placed at eight or ten years OF age beat
me, starved me and compelled me TO dc
| mental work. and my soul and body re-
| volted. One day circus came TO town
and I got the ear OF one OF the perform.
ers. He happened-such are the acct
dents Of life-to be trapeze performer
and his daughter, about my age, haf
recently died.
Encouraged by him, ran away
and began to learn the business of {
trapeze performer. He and his wifi
We're kind to me and so began my new
life.
e 1 took my life into my hands daily
invented new feats. i went abroa'
and toured all over Europe.
In Russia I began ascending On
trapcze suspended from the car Of I
balloon. Tho sensation was great. bu
my sensations and those Of the speota
tors, were. / imagine, widely differ
emit
&c When l came down in the countr.
districts / was robbed. and my balloon
was cut up to be made into wearing ap
parel
Ger ,,,,.o,.1 49,. ,,,,.,.t - . 10. ,.,,..o
families, and have souvenirs frOr
them. Old Emperor William OF Ger
many invited me TO his box. and sal
to me: You are a brave woman. an
I admire courage"
"A few years ago retired. Ia
saved my money and was independen
Then was seized with a desire TO IN
my relatives. / suddenly found IN
world lonely. I closed my house in Par
, Is and came to Anne lea travelled III
teen thousand milet searching for som
trace OF my people without success.
, I found one place In which m
mother had lived four years and sh
had then married again. She had n
turned TO Indiana only to find that m
brothers. like myself, had run away.
, e" I was discouraged and about TO re
turn 20 Europe, when 1 went TO Sc
! Buffalo Bills WILD West I had m,
|. Col. Cody In Paris in 1889. and aft,
/ the afternoon performance he invite
a me to dine in camp. I told him m
1, story briefly and he asked: 'Ho
would you know your brother II yo
4 found him7"
Z described a birthmark on Il
q breast which we both bore.
90 Well" said Col Cody "yoi