Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-05-20
ON A LARK IN LONDON AND
WHAT CAME OFT.

ON A LARK IN LONDON ann
WHAT CAME OF M.
London has sensation il is stated
that there exists in that city an association
of thirty young men, who have been for
some time dressing up in the forgery Of !
and personating women Two Of them,
calling themselves Boulton and Park,
have recently been arrested by the police,
and held for trial upon suspicion that
they meant mischief by the DISCUSSES they
assumed. In their lodgings, which were
searched, mixed up with their gentlemen's
wardrobes, which denoted afliuent circum-
stances and good breeding, were found
thirty or forty rich silk and other dresses,
some elaborately trimmed with lace and
fur, cloaks, gloves, score of wigs with
chignons and curls, hats, balmoral en-
broidered boots, bracelets, necklaces,
jewelry and everything else belonging to
female attire. These two young men,
who were in the habit of taking boxes at
the theatres and opera house, to which
they invited male companions, whose sc-
quaintance they made on the street, were
finally noticed and arrested at the Strand
Theatre. They were taken to Bow street
station, where large crowd soon gathered
eager to hear the charge. Both the pris-
OHers were young and had girlish features.
Their "make up" was admirable. The
complete ease with which they maintained
their parts astonished every one in court,
and even the magistrates themselves and
detectives admitted that the metamor-
phosis was sufficiently artistic TO deceive
the most experienced. The following is
the description given in the police report
of the London Times of the costumes in
which the pair were captured
b ''Boulton wore a cerise satin dress
with an open square, body. The neck
was hidden by the folds of white lace
scarf. The sleeves were short, scarcely
reaching to the elbow, and edged with
white lace, which was the general trim.
ming of the dress. The prisoner had q
massive gold bracelet on the left arm. and
an imitation pearl on the right. ADOPTING
the pronoun used regarding the prisoner
during the hearing of the case, She had
a small slgnet ring on the left hand, but
ana not wear earrings. Her hair-ol
rather wig-of golden color, was fashion.
ably dressed in the Grecian style, with
plated chignOn. The front was bound
with narrow strip of black velvet. and
piece OF the same material was worn
round the neck, locket being suspended
from it. Park wore a beautiful greer
satin dress, which was made with an 'open
square body and short sleeves like that OF
Boulton. 1t was also trimmed with white
lace. The prisoner had a lace scarf
thrown across her shoulders, so as to
cover the open part Of the dress. She
had handsome gold chain bracelet; on
her left hand signet ring, and in heI
ears imitation pearl drops. Her hair was
the same color as that of her friend, and
dressed in the like fashion, excepting that
the back part was done in curls instead of
plalts; and in front was diamond star on
the velvet band. Both prisoners wore q
white kid glove on the right hand"
The affair is treated in London as some
what of mystery, although it appears to
be quite evident that it is simply a fool
ish and ridiculous lark of a few young
men who have more money than they
know what to do with, and who are
amusing themselves with the gullibility Of
their own sex. Lady Hester Stanhope
goes abroad and puts herself at the head
of q tribe. The Duchess de Berri tramps
about La Vendee in all sorts of disguises,
and Madame Dudevant George Sand) is
only happy in male attire. The attire of
woman is more cumbersome and less
adapted to the purposes of locomotion
than that of man. Consequently, if Pol
ly Ann wants to follow Jack to sea, or
Betsey Jane desires to go with her soldier
boy to the wars, the petticoats must be
laid aside and the trousers be 'donned in
their place. Instances like these are of
constant occurrence. Discoveries are
frequently made of women who have
passed years in male attire, some for
their lovers sake, some for lark, and
others to obtain livelihood more easily
1t seems rather hard when we think of
these instances, that boys should be taken
up and publicly exposed for what was
evidently an innocent lark. The detec-
tives in London must either be over vir-
tuous, or they must come under DR.. John
sons definition of ''nice minded persons, y
who, he declared, were persons of nasty
ideas.