Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1868-02-19

to strangers, and was in constant danger
of being arrested as a man. They re-
mained here a few days, when Mrs.
Powell informed her parents that she
was going to visit some relatives east
/ The fond parents, little dreaming Of the
arrest and subsequent scene at the Briggs
house. urged her to remain and replen-
ish her wardrobe. She readily answered
that she could procure more becoming
and stylish garments at the east. After
her departure, Mr. Powell procured some
cloth, and went to Mr.. Mooney, one Of
our tailors, and informed him that he
wished to present his brother with a suit
of clothes. He informed the tailor that
his garments fitted his brother, and a
suit made to fit himself would be just
the thing. The clothes were made and
expressed to Chicago. Soon after, Mr..
Powell informed DR.. Burnham, the faith
er of his wife, that Ellen had changed
her dress; and was now wearing mans
attire, aHd living in Chicago. The doc
tor was thunderstruck, and the mother
half-crazy. The only satisfaction they
could get out of Powell was, that his
wife was not a woman, and would not
dress as a woman any longer. The doc
tor requested Powell to accompany him,
and Immediately went to Chicago, where
he found his daughter dressed in a suit
of clothes which Mr.. Powell had made
for his brother. Mrs Powell informed
him that shewas not a woman, and would
no longer try to act the part of one. The
doctor insisted upon an examination
At length, to satisfy her father, she con-
sented that the late Dr.. Brainard should
examine her. DR.. Brainard did so, and
informed the father that his daughter
was not female, and had done the best
thing to be done in changing her attire.
After much solicitation, Ellen permitted
her father to examine her and satisfy
himself that she was not a woman. DR..
Burnham then procured situation for
her, under the name of Edgar Burnham,
in the wholesale drug house of j. II.
Read & Co., in whose employ he re-
mained about one year. During this
time, he rOomed and slept with a young
man by the name of Andrews, now do
ing business in Crosby's Opera House
block. He also became engaged to a
young lady on State street, the daughter
of his landlady.
We frequently visited young Burnham
at his room on Washington street, being
ourselves at that time in the law Office or
Merch & Redfeld, then officiating on
Dearborn street. Young Burnbam made
up in appearance of a man of all the
beauty and grace he lacked as a woman.
| Chicago had few better. looking young
men than the former Mrs. Powell. He
was a portion Of this time Organist at
the Plymouth church, Rev. j. R. Shep
herd, pastor, and for a time Organist Of
one of the Baptist churche7. We were
part:c rrly amused at his hearty admi-
ration of the girls. He would leave his
piano or work any time to look at a WO-
man. In 1868, young Burnham return
ed to Brodhead, and went into the drug
business with his father He was at this
time engaged to the State street lady,
who was entirely ignorant of the story
of her lovers life. We have it from the
best authority--a young man who resided
in the family Of the young lady-that
Burnham was a devoted lover, and, even
after he removed to Brodhead, cores
ponded regularly twice week with his
betrothed, and paid her visits of two OF
three DAYS duration. After his remov-
/ al tc Brodbead, be was a decided favor
ite in the society here, both on account
of his good looks and his skill as mu-
sician. Men, women and children flock
ed to the drug store of Burnham & Son
to trade, for the purpose Of seeing the
young man who was once a wife. At
! length DR.. Burnham sold out his proper
ty here in 1864 and removed to Water
/ loo, Iowa, taking Edgar with him, and
there opened drug store. Soon after
the removal of the familp to Waterloo,
Edgar sought and obtained in marriage
the hand of Miss Gerta Eycrette, one
of the prettiest girls in Spring Valley,
Rock county, Wis. The Chicago engage
ment had been broken off.
They have now been married about
three years, and living at Waterloo
They have no children as yet, all stOr-
les to the contrary Notwithstanding
Should they ever have children, or eth
er Of them, we shall make haste to in
form our readers of the fact.
It IS simply ridiculous to suppose that
/ Edgar Burnham was ever a mother, and
quite as insane to believe that he can be
father.
From the best of authority, namely,
from Mr. Powell and from the surgeon
who examined him, we know that Ed
gar Buruham is an It. and will never
be anything else. 1t is due to the young
lady to whom he was engaged in Chica-
90 to say that she never knew the make
up of her lover from first to last, and
that the engagement was broken of by
her before his history became known.
Miss Everette, his present wife, knew
the facts of this remarkable case, sub
stantially as we have related them, and
married 1t willingly of her own accord,
and against the wishes Of her paronts.-
She undoubtedly knows the facts more
definitely now than we do, and can COM
fort herself accordingly. We wish her
Joy of her union with an IT, if there is
any joy in it.
THE WORLD ALMANAo.-Our thanks are
due Mr. Marble, editor OF the New York
World, for copy of the World Almanac for
1868. It is an excellent compilation-sur-
passing the well-known Tribune Almanac,
and should be in the hands of every Demo-