Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-10-12
A Young Girls Disguise.
The Extraordinary Career of Irene
Robinson.

How She Got Rid of a Disagreea.
BILE eLOYer-The Escape before the
Wedding-Seeking Employment
in Mans Clothes.
Two years ago there lived in the
suburbs of Peoria, ILL.,, a family
named Robinson, consisting of
husband, wife, one son, and sever
; al daughters. The son and all
but one of the daughters were mar
ried. The youngest daughter
Irene, a pretty girl of II, was
sought by John Stiger, a school
master in Peoria. Stiger's suit
was favored by the old folks, who
wished to compel Irene to marry
him. Irene's dislike of the man
was undisguised. He was AZ
years OF age, tall, shambling, and
uncouth. Notwithstanding, a day
was named for the marriage.
One night in November, 1869,
the wedding day being near at
hand, Irene dressed herself in her
brothers clothes, and at 2 o'clock
in the morning stole down stairs,
unbarred the door and struck off
| for Havenesville. She took a
train for Chicago, and there sought
employment from lumber dealer
as a driver. The man was 10th
to give her work. He looked at
her white face and delicate hands.
and told her she wouldn't do for
him.
"How do you keep your hands
so white?' asked the lumberman.
"Oh. I've been working for a
tailor" was the response.
The man was otherwise favora
bly, impressed with young William
Frank (that was the. name the
girl :ook,) and finally hired her
at 81 day. William drove team.
handled lumber, and did mans
work, though as she said to Sun
reporter:
at was mighty tough for a
while. I used TO get splinters in
my hands and have lots of trouble,
but finally got used to it"
William worked for the lumber
man about two weeks, and then
went to driving a cart for con-
tractor who was filling up the
streets. Her soft hands were
growing brown and hard, and ex,
cited less comment. She got a.
long better; but after stay of
three weeks with the sand con
tractor, her sex was suspected, and
she went to work in the suburbs
making fence posts. Hence her
sex was again discovered, and one
night she quietly made off to To-
ledo, paying her fare with money
she had saved from her labor. In
Toledo she worked for one Hawes,
building board fence. She re-
ceived $l.25 day, and stayed two
months, then her sex was suspect
ed by one of her fellow-workmen,
and she was again obliged to move
on.
This time she reached Sandus-
ky, where she drove a team for
one Bettield, who was filling up
roads. She had been one month
quietly at work, when girl who
boarded in the same house sus-
pected that young William Franks
was not what his name implied.
William quietly slipped away,
and made for a new country.
This time she stopped in Buffalo.
Here for two months she drove
two-horse team for Mr.. Eyter,
hauling wood. He paid her Sl,25
a day, from which she saved mon
ey. She did her work satisfacto-
rily, and everything was going on
pleasantly when, as usual, wo-
man made the old discovery. AS
usual the woman told her hus-
band. William began to be the
objec:: of unpleasant attention, and
again moved on; this time to
Rochester, where she worked in
Mr.. Brewers livery stable. She
took to the horses, and things
went on agreeably for three
months; but she was again discov.
cred by a woman.
"These women" said Irene to
the Sun reporter, care quicker'n
lightning, and all there was to do
was to go. I used to keep away
from them all / could. / would
get my meals and get out of the
house as soon as l could, but it
was no use, they would see through
it. And then the women would
tell their husbands, the husbands
would tell others, and whenever
folks began to look at me sharp, |
used to quietly get away and go
somewhere else"