Girl Bride Lost For Four Years in Brazil

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 268, 2 February 1928, Page 9

Girl Bride Lost For Four Years in Brazil

Returns as Stowaway After Being Twice Shot LIVED ON BANANAS After four years of adventure in Brazil, a young Englishwoman—she is still but 21—has returned to her home at Abergavenny. A romance of love at first sight was the beginning of her exploits, which were brought to an end by a 17-days voyage as a stowaway. The story starts four years ago, when Violet Hulbert, then 17, left her home to earn her living. She became a waitress in a Cardiff restaurant, and there met and fell in love with Joas Teixeira, a Portuguese. Expecting to be taken to a comfortable home, as befitted the wife of a wealthy business man, she married him at a Cardiff registry office, and sailed “on a business trip," as he*r husband described it, to Brazil. They were then to go to his mansion in Portugal. After a short spell of happiness and hotel life Teixeira’s funds became exhausted. and he disappeared. Alone in Strange Land The unfortunate English girl-wife was stranded among a strange people whose language she did not understand. Despite this handicap, she obtained work, and was successively a laundress, nursegirl, servant, governess, coffee sorter. Often she existed on bananas for days, and for weeks she slept on a wooden bed in a shed, the best accommodation that could be provided by a coloured family who took pity on her. Home Destroyed Then, in one of the frequent internal wars, her benefactor’s house was destroyed, and she was forced to flee before the rifle fire and revolver fire of the insurgents. She was twice struck on the leg by bullets, and after days of torture reached Santos, where she was admitted to hospital. When well again she took a room in the docks district, and worked, as a coffee * sorter. In the premises next door was a wineshop. “I had a fearful time," said Mrs. Teixeira. “Raids and fights were common. Dances and other events took place in the wineshop, and usually ended in revolver fights. More than once I had to climb trees to get out of danger. I was desperate, and in despair I gave up my work and went to Paranagua, where I took in washing. A fortnight later a steamer came into harbour and hoisted the Union Jack. English sailors came ashore, and I determined to take a chance to get away in the vessel. I managed to get a suit of men’s clothes, and I changed into them behind a tree, and boarded the vessel. For 17 days she lay in hiding, but at last gave herself up. She had kept her birth certificate, and was able thus to prove her identity. The captain was kind to her. and found her food and clothing.