Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-12-19
FREAKS OF AN ECCENTRIC GIRL.

hUOuI aIOuT ycaES SluCo tue &OOu people Oh
Cincinnati were startled by the announcement
in the daily journals, of what was supposed,
at the time. to be a fearful tragedy, in which
| . young and beautiful girl was believed to
have been carried away by some wretch; and
as nothing has since been heard from her,
little doubt was entertained by her friends that
she had, after brief space. either experienced
the fate of 'Desdemona,' or what was more
shocking still, had been compelled, in her
disgrace, to barter virtue for life. Her pa
rents who were advanced in years, gradually
sunk beneath the terrible calamity, until they
became living personifcations of settled mel
ancholy and deep despair. Numerous circum-
stances had led them irresstibly to this con-
clusion and on the night of her departure
policemen had heard the smothered shrieks
of female in the vicinity Of her parents re-
sidence; but before they reached the spot all
was silent; neighbors, too, had heard mystic
rious noises and observed dark figures beneath
the lady's window; but, strange as it may ap-
pear, they did not think to raise the alarm, or
even speak of the matter until her absence
was discovered; but afterwards there was such
marked similarity in their stories, that there
was no room to doubt their truth. Besides,
if she had simply eloped with lover, and
been legally married, she should have inform
ed her parents of her whereabouts, and as
certained from them whather they approved
or disapproved the course she had taken, be-
fore she put them off forever. Nor is this all !:
her lover, the man to whom she was supposed
to have been betrothed, still remained, and e.
vinced a distress as deep, if not lasting, as
that of the parents. Under such circumstan-
ces, the conclusion that she had been f0rcibly
abducted appeared necessarily to follow.
About the same time young man, or rather
boy, named Frank Bates, of slight stature,
but with rosy cheeks, smiling face, ready step
and winning demeanor, engaged in the service
of river captain as cabin boy, and by his
promptness and iDgenuousness so ingratiated
himself into the good will of his patron that
he was elevated to an assistant cle.kship,
position for which his education and activity
eminently qualified him. He remained on the
boat in this capacity for about two years, when
he went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and engaged
as clerk In a dry goods store. Here his
afability did not fail to draw towards himself
numerous friends, and among the fair bellies
of the Bluffs he was much admired land his en-
ployer's store was soon discovered by all OF
them to be the best in the village, and Frank
was everywhere applauded as the most agrea-
BILE OF clerks. When he attended parties and
places OF amusement, he was always assigned
the post of honor, and it must be confessed
that no other young man in the vicinity could
fill the station with such perfect ease and
grace as could our hero.
1t would be useless, however, to trace his
history during the two years he remained at
Council Bluffs, nor to chronicle the oft raised
hopes and repeated disappointments of his fe-
male admirers-they will readily suggest them
selves to the reader. But in the midst of life
there is death-the glory of victory is often
succeeded by disgrace and defeat, and it so
happened in this case. About three weeks "a
go, at masquerade, Frank was discovered
how the paper that relates the facts narrated
above does not state-tO be female, much to
the chagrin of all the fair sex, and to the scan
dal of the neighborhood. AT this unlucky
mishap, Frank revealed name and parent
age, at the same time coolly requesting to be
retained in his employers service, promising
to draw around the place of business two male
patrons for every female repulsed, but wheth-
er or not she was allowed to remain We are un-
able to say.-Counci! Bluffs Eagle.