The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-10-12

HOW SHE GOT RID uf A DiSAua11n01sA-hs ~ '11s
Two years ago there lived in the
suburbs of Peoria, ILL.,, family named
Robinson. consisting of husband, wife,
one son and several daughters. The
son and all but one of the daughters
were married. The youngest daughter,
Irene, pretty girl of seventeen, was
sought by John Stiger, school master
in Peoria. Stigers 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
forty-two 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 two o'clock in the morning stole
down stairs, unbarred the door and
struck off for Haynesville. She took
train for Chicago, and there sought
employment from a 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
sob, I've been working for tailor"
was the response.
The man was otherwise favorably
impressed with young William Frank
(that was the name the girl took, j, and
finally hired her at 81 day. William
drove a team and handled lumber, and
did mans work, though as she said
to SIN reporter:
at was mighty tough for while.
used to get splinters in my hands
and have lots of trouble, but finally
got used to it."
William worked for the lumberman
about two weeks, and then went to
driving a cart for contractor who
was filling up the streets. Her soft
hands were growing brown and hard,
and excited less comment. She got
along better; but after stay of three
weeks with the sand contractor, her
sex was suspected, and she went to
work in the suburbs making fence
posts. Here her sex was again discov-
cred, and one night she quietly made
off to Toledo, paying her fare with
money she had saved from her labor
In Toledo she worked for one Halves,
building a board fence She received
81 % day, and stayed two months;
then her sex was suspected by one Of
her fellow-workmen, and she was again
obliged to move on.
This time she reached Sandusky,
where she drove a team for one Bot
field, who was filling up roads. She
had been one month quietly at work,
when a girl who boarded in the same
house suspected that young William
Frank was not what his name implied.
William quietly slipped away, and
made for 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
81 IS day, from which she saved
money. She did her work satisfactory
ly, and everything was going ON pleas
antly when, as usual, woman made
the old discovery. AS usual, the wo-
man told her husband. William began
to be the object 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 discovered by a woman.
These women" said Irene to the
Sun reporter, are quicker'n lightning,
and all there was to do was to go. |
used to keep away from them all |
could. | would get my meals and get
out of the house as soon as 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, l used to quietly
get away and go somewhere else"
From Rochester William went to
Clyde, where she was employed by
a railroad contractor named Looks.
For three months she worked with a
gang of men laying railroad ties. 1t
was the old story; her sex was sus-
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