The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-02-29
WONDERS NEVER CEASE.
The IBurnlans. lan.and Woman
z Story Nowhere.

~ ~ From the Muscatine tIowa) Courier
Our readers have doubtless perused yarn
from the La Crosse Demorta, concerning the
transformation Of woman into man. This is
entitled strange story" and rightly, too, for
it Is strange; but We know one that beats it, In
Montpelier township, in this county, there lived
an aged couple by the name Of Ross. These two
individuals take it turn about. That is, every
three years the woman becomes a man, and, du-
ring the same three years, the man changes to a
woman. Strange as it may seem, there are some
dozens of people in this county who stand ready
to verify this statement with an affidavit. These
two unfortunate beings were married in lS4S. In
lSJ9 the woman gave birth to IA child which died
Shortly after the birth of this child the parents
began to charge SEXES A separation followed
and the parties moved from Tennessee, where
they then resided, one to Illinois, the other to
kentucky. In 1881, the change having become
complete IN both, they were again brought to-
gcther by friends. They fell in love !. second
time and were married, the former husband this
time being the wife, and 0tce ceisd. IN 1852 the
iorner husband and now wife, presented the
i9riner VIE and now husband with female
child. This child is now 1G years old. She also
Is troubled in the same way, often changing sex
IN single night. She never knows when she
goes to bed but she will wake up in the morning
ana ma herself boy, and is not certain when
ne gets up III the morning but that before night
he will be girl. He (or she) keeps two sets of
clothes handy, and when the changes begin to
come on, dons the proper apparel of her Tor his
sex. Ihls may seem tough story, but it is
voached for by alarge number of reliable persons
but to return to the parents. At intervals of
three years the change of sex described above has
taken place regularly The couple now have five
children, three OF which call the original father
mother and two Of which call the original moth.
or father. These children are liable to OCCASION
al and complete changes of SEX but not of so sud.
den natsre as that which marks the status of
the Oldest boy lor girl A good story is told of
a young darkey who was not acquainted with the
family failing. Meeting the girl at party one
evening he fell violently in love with her, escort
ed her home, and on the way solicited and OBJ
tanned permission to call again. The next even
ing found him promptly at the house of his sweet.
heart Imagine, kind reader, the astonishment
OF the prospective citizen when he found his dull
cinea arrayed in boys clothes and sporting an in.
cipient msustache on what the evening before
was the smooth, rosy upper lip. Two DAYS later
he came again and found his Mary John for
that was the name given by the conscientious pa.
rents once more blooming lass. without even
the sembanoo OF man. Taking one look at her.
the astounded youth rushed from the house and
never went near it again, for fear" as lie said.
" that he might get to be q gal hisself' Of the
truth OF this last circumstance, we are not so Ger.
TAM but we again assure our readers that the re.
mainder OF our story is as true as fact can make