Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-08-10
A Strange Metamorphosis.
A Reseroed Maiden 4,rnAes an the Morning
to Discover Herself Maa.
The Terre Haute (Ind. Journal tells this

The Terre Haute (Ind. Journal tells this
highly veracious story
A few nights since the residence OF a prom
inent citizen was entered by burglar, and
some valuable jewelry and other property sto-
len and carried away, But before leaving
the house, it appears, he paid visit to nearly
every apartment in it. Traces of him were
found above and below stairs wherever, in
deed, it was probable any yaluables could be
obtained Il so happened. that one member
of the family belonged to that much abused
and very excellent class of socety called "old
maids" She is free>hearted generous
lady, intelligent and refined, and the only fear
that her we'll balanced mind has ever known,
is the apprehension that in evil hour
Satan will lure her affections into the keeping
of that abomination of her mind. man. The
good lady prays every day that no such evil
may befall her, aud that she may live and die
in maiden meditation fancy free. Now,
whether the burglar knew Of this pecuIiarity
of the ady's miud or not, he at all events de-
termiDed to play her very practical joke
To this end he carefully removed from the
chair on which she had neatly folded and laid
it, all her wearing apparel, and substituted,
from another room, complete suit of gentle
mans clothes. Then taking off a huge pair
of false whiskera, he carefully adjusted them
to the face Of the sleeping lady. Of course
he could not wait to see the denouement, but
that pleasure was reserved for the family the
next morning. Awakening at an early hour,
the good lady proceeded to the mirror Gan
invariable practice with ladies) to enjoy
look at her face. The first glance petrifed
her with horror. Was she indeed man p
The latent superstition of her nature reviving,
she imagined that Satan had been playing her
a horrible revenge for her aulmosity to the
male creation. She staggered to chair, and,
almost broken hearted concluded to dress and
send for barber. But now she noticed for
the first time that her clothes, too, we're gone.
and Il gentlcmau's outfit were substituted in
their stead. She was certain now that the
metamorphOSls was complete, and, resignlng
herself to the situation, tried to don the ap-
parel. But having no experience in the adj
justmcrt of this new tangled apparel. and
habit being stranger than instinct, she found
that every time she put the pantnloons over
her head. she encountered an impediment
that deied all her Efforts to overcome. In
short, the pauts would no, 90 over her head.
At last, in despair, she rang for assistance,
and, her maid appearing at the door, she
cr!cd out:
Don't come in, Retty for I'm man nov;
but just please step in aud ask my brother if
he usually puts his breeches on over his head,
or commences feet foremost"
It is needless to say that tie message
tonished the household. l. was some time
before the lady would admit to her apart nlcnt
any one Of either sex, tor fear she night make
a mistake but fuulIy one more adventurous
than the rest pushed open the door, and cuu>
vinoed the sore y-tred maid that she had not
forsaken her estate, but was yet Que Of the
angels OF earth.