The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-08-19
Me(ps Of tbe Ban.
A CURIOUS FREAK OF A YOUNG
crRT

The sudden disappearance of young la
dy, about IL months since, from Fayette-
vile, caused no little excitement in that
community. After an Intellectual effort to
discover her destiny, a general impression
prevailed that she had been abducted, muir
dered, or some sad fate had befallen her
All remained in mystery, until a few days
ago, when the tangled matter was sudden
~ unravelled by the accidental discovery
of the young lady. We let writer in the
Fayetteville Carolinian relate, in his own
words, the balance of the affair:
A year and a half passed by. The oe-
currence of Marinda's fate began to be OBJ
liberated from the mind; those friends who
mourned for her had laid aside their weeds
and had resigned her as lost forever.
Let US now go back to the eventful night
of her disappearance, and learn the true
fate of our romantic heroine.
1t appears she became dissatisfied with
her condition. for some cause unnecessary
to detail, and left her boarding house while
all beneath its roof were buried in profound
slumber; and for fear of being seen by
some one in the village. she took the path
leading up the margin of the pond, passing
by the beach near its head, and thence
through the woods to the main road. She
found herself at daylight some distance off,
and determined, in order to conceal her
identity, to dof the attire ofa aoomam, and
assume that Of the sterner ser. An oppor-
tunity soon offered, for seeing at a farm
house near by, a pair Of pantaloons and
some shirts hanging on the fence, she man
aged to secure them, and at once appropri-
ated them to her own use. In this disguise
she travelled on to Bennetsville: S. c., where
she procured work as a boy, and diligently
applied herself for several months without
exciting the least suspicion as to her sex.
Her associates were with the males of the
village, and though she frequently went
with the boys to the river to wash, she ne
yer could be induced to go in herself, al
ways volunteering to watch the clothes
while they were bathing.
Work becoming little scarce, John (for
that was her assumed nancy left Bennets
Vile and went to Cheraw, where she labor
ted for two or three months, until she pro-
cured funds enough to take her to Charles
ton. In that city she was taken sick with
fever, and though under skilful medical at
tendance, she managed to preserve her in
cognito.
John finally, like the moth to the candle,
ventured too near her old range, and was
discovered, first, as one of the operatives of
factory in Fayetteville by some of those
who had known Miranda at Rockfish.-
Finding herself suspected. she left and hir
ed herself to an old bachelor some miles
from town, doing faithful man service on
the farm and about the house, sleeping with
the crusty old fellow at night without his
suspecting what kind of bed fellow he had,
until curiosity brought her to town to he ar
the discussion between Bragg and Gilmer,
when she was again met by some of her
old acquaintances, and fully recognized as
Marinda, the lost maiden of Rockfsh vii
lage.
Marinda has promised to assume the ap-
propriate costume Of her sex, though she
says that the men have much more fun than
the women !; that it will be hard for her hereaf-
ter to sit and listen to the everlasting Cos
sip of the girls, since she has mingled with
the men, attended the election and tax ga
erings-become interested in politics.
heard the candidates, and been Rugged and
treated so we'll by them.
She has promised, at the earliest oppor-
tunity, to give me summary of her roman
tic wanderlngs, which she says will make
me sacrifice all the buttons on my vest and
waistband; when she does, you, Mr.. Edi-
tor, shall hear from me. It must be rich
NJ A. r.