nav bar




Bright Oklahoma Girl A White House Guest
Los Angeles Herald, 24 Dec 1901


BOSSIE MULHALL is soon to be the guest of President and Mrs. Roosevelt at the White House. She will leave her Oklabhoma home in a few days on her way to Washington, accompanied by her father, the noted Zack Mulhall.

All this is interesting, for several reasons. First of all, Miss Bossie is remarkably beautiful. Next, in addition to the conventional accomplishments usual in an up-to-date young woman, she has several that are decidedly unique, for Miss Bossie can rope a steer or ride a bucking bronco with the best of the cowboys. It was these accomplishments that won the unbounded admiration of President Roosevelt, and which resulted in an invitation to the White House. Finally, Miss Bossie is said to be the original of Bossie Brander in Charles Hoyt's excruciatingly funny farce, "A Texas Steer."

Like President Roosevelt, Bossie Mulhall is fond of strenuous life. She has been reared upon a rach, this most remarkable young woman. She can shoot with the skill of a frontiersman. She can lasso and tie a steer with the dexterity of the most expert cowman. She has courage and steady nerve, and can brand a yearling without flinching. She rides astride and boldly. She does not know the meaning of fear. She loves the open air and the plains. Here has been a life of out of doors, yet she is cultured and well read. She plays classical music and is versed in social graces.

And, above all, she has beauty of that striking type which bespeaks for good health. She is a brunette and of beautiful figure. Her age is not more than 21 years.

She first met President Roosevelt at the Rough Riders' reunion in Oklahoma City a year ago. Her younger sister, Lucille, was present on that occasion, and it was Lucille who gave an exhibition of riding and of lassoing steers that excited the admiration of the colonel of the Rough Riders. But Lucille is no more expert than her sister, Bossie, whose exploits suggested to the late Charles H. Hoyt the character of Bossie Brander in his delightful comedy, "A Texas steer."

It is related of Bossie that one day, while riding on her father's ranch with Lucille, she started a brace of vious gray wolves. The young woman immediately took up the chase. Bossie swung her lasso and it found the neck of the larger of the two wolves. Wheeling her pony, she stated for the ranch house, dragging the wolf. Several miles had been covered when the wolf freed himself by knawing the lariat in two. Not daunted, Bossie made another noose and again she roped the wolf. This time she drove him round and round a tree, until Lob had n more tether, and then, having no revolver with her, she looses a stirrup and beat the animal to death.

President Roosevelt, while a guest of her father, Zack Mulhall, during the Rough Riders' reunion, admired the wolf pelt. Later the pelt was mounted and today is within the Roosevelt home at Oyster Bay.

Zack Mulhall, general live stock agent of the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad, is one of the best-known cattlemen in the west. He has a ranch of 15,000 acres on Beaver creek, fifty miles from Oklahoma City. He is also known through his cowboy band, which led the parade at the second inauguration of President McKinley.

Zack is intensely proud of his two daughters. Lucille is only about 14. She gained part of her education in a St. Louis convent.






nav bar
NAVIGATION

GREATGRANDFATHER: ZACK MULHALL:
  Photos and Stories       Genealogy       Timeline  

GRANDFATHER: JAMES HOMER BUTRIDGE:
  Index,     Butridge Genealogy,  

GRANDMOTHER: JENNIE AUDRY BUTRIDGE:
  Index,     Art Book,  

FATHER: BRADLEY VAN DEUSEN:
  Index,   Old Soldiers' Drums,   All Poetry,   Letters

MOTHER: JEAN AUDREY BUTRIDGE:
  Index,     Art,     Writing,     High School,  

ME:
Home,   Family,   Favorite Pages,   Site Map


IME logo Copyright © 2014, Mary S. Van Deusen