Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-02-26

noticed.
One evening Pearl saw a wagon load
OF watermelons standing near the
the corner OF State and Harrison
streets. Several Of the. melons had
been taken from the wagon and were
piled upon the sidewalk When no one
was looking she stole one of the
melons and ran down Harrison street
with the heavy load. Before she had
gone a block a policeman caught her
and both she and her sister were
taken to the Harrison Street police
station.
After the two girls were arrested
and sentenced TO a boys school their
sex was discovered and they were sent
20 the reform school for girls. Old
beyond their years by virtue OF the
varied experiences they had passed
through. It was not to be supposed
that they would tamely submit 20 the
vigorous discipline OF the school for
any great length OF time without en-
deavoring TO make a break for liberty.
Yet to the surprise OF the officials who
knew their history they remained for
three months apparently cOntented
and tractable without evincing any
desire 10 escape from confinement.
But one fine morning the surprised
and disgusted matron awoke to find
that the birds had flown. The two
girls had made rope OF the sheets
and nightgown and lowered them
selves from a window.
Pearls sister climbed down first and
without accident. Pearl followed. but
being the heavier OF the two she got
a fall that almost knocked her sense
less. Instead OF tying the nightgown
al the lower end OF the rope she had
listened one sleeve 20 the bed. Her
weight ripped on the sleeve and she
fell ten feet 20 the ground. This acci.
dent did not prevent her. however.
from discarding her dress until she
could climb the high. wire-bound fence
and help her sister over.
Wfn the girls escaped they has.
tened away from Chicago as soon as
they could secure two suits OF boys
clothes. They made their way over
the Northern Pacific railroad TO Hell.
ena, Mont. and later 70 Victoria r.
G. They remained in Victoria for
three months and then started back
10 Chicago. beating their way In the
most approved tramp fashion by easy
stages, the round trip being the most
remarkable ever accomplished bv two
girls OF their age Upon reaching Chi.
cago. the younger one. who did not
possess such an iron constitution as
her sister. became ill as a result OF
the hardships she had gone through
and soon grew very homeslck. when
she had in some measure regained her
strength Pearl took her back 10 their
Canadian home.
BY this time the elder OF the two
girls had become a confirmed tramp in
everything but appearance The long
Journey twice across the country had
but served 20 Increase her strength
and excite her longing for fresh nd.
ventures. Her parents knew she would
not long remain at home unless she
was placed under restraint They
sent her 20 a boarding school near
Montreal where special arrangements
were made 20 have her carefully
watched
she was closely guarded too but
she found way 20 elude her Guard.
lans. She met man who lived in the
town where the school was located. a
Harry Bordeman. and before she had
oeen at the school four months she
eloped with him.
AT that time Pearl Hart was 1e
years old She and Bordeman came Al.
rectly 10 Chicago where. however She
remained but a short time. FolIowing
a quarrel with him one day she ais.
appeared She went TO Trinidad
Col, but later came back To Cbicaqo
and became reconciled TO Bordemap
They remained in the Windy civ
during the year OF the Worlds Fair
after which another quarrel with her
husband caused her to again nav a
Visit west She returned to Trinidad
and later went to Phoenix. Ariz She
had not been in Phoenix a week whom
she met Bordeman at a boarding
house. a reconciliation followed and
the two lived together until the he
ginning of the Spanish war. when
Bordeman enlisted in McCord's resi.
ment and left the territory.
When Bordeman left his wife sba
again donned male attire and went to
Mammoth, Aria. where she hired ont
as cook In a mining camp on the
banks of the ella river. It was at this
time that She attained that degree OF
skill with firearms which afterwards
gained for her the name OF one OF the
most deadly shots with rife and re-
Volver in state that abounds with
men remarkable for their skill in
such weapons All OF Pearls
spare time was spent in practicing
her favorite pastime. No target was
700 small or distant 10 escape the bull
let that flew from the nervous press
ure OF her small. strong hand. and the
more dangerous and savage the game
she pursued the greater pleasure she
found in the chase. Circumstances
seemed to have combined to mould
the slender young girl into an amazon
OF undaunted type. fearing neither God
nor man and paving the way for the
execution OF the audacious project
which she afterwards executed. and
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