The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-05-13
T. SINGULAR CASE.
A Wild Girl in Green Co., Pa
Eighteen Years in the Woods.

we are lnQeOteQ 10 JUN messeHSei,
Esq OF Windridge, Green county, Pa,
for the following account of q young
woman. who for eighteen years
has been running wild in the
woods in his neighborhood. We
know Mr.. Messenger to be truth.
iul and reliable man and every word OF
his statement can be depended on. In
fact he so enters into particulars and
gives names and dates, that it is impos-
sible 10 disbelieve his statement, extra
ordinary as it is. He writes:
A man living near Windridge, Green
County, Pennsylvania had born to
him FIVE children, four girls and one
boy. His name is Daniel Lewis. When
quite young the boy and second daugh-
ter, named Lucinda Lewis, developed
quite fondness Tor hunting and were
out nearly all the time, roaming the
woods in search of game. They seemed
to delight in nothing so much as the
fell lie OF a hunter, and would be gohe
from home for weeks at time. After
some four or five years, the boy quite
it and entered on the more industrious
pursuits Of lie, but the girl confined in
the chase. Drawing herself more aid
more from human intercourse and re-
straint she has become a wild woman
eeng from the approach OF her kind
with the speed o! deer.
During the early years OF her solitary
life che used to approach her fathers
house and entice the dogs to follow
her, learning almost any breed of dogs
to become good hunters In the hope
OF bringing her back to her home and
to civilization, her brother followed her
and shot the dog she had taken away
using every iuducement to get her 10 &c
back with him. But all in vain.
For eighteen years, since she was
twelve years o. age, she has lived this
wild lie, sleeping in the centres Of
straw stacks during the nigh, and hid
ing in them during the summer She
wild and cultivated fruits she intends
for her winters store OF provisions.
She is nov thirty years old. and is as
wild as the moot untamed denizen Of
the forest.
Mr.. Messenger says he at one time
while out hunting. met her in the woods
Her long black hair. covering her face
and eyes, was matted with burs and
leaves, ard her black flashing eyes
made her a startling picture. She re-
manned perfectly still until he got
within twenty feet Of her when she
turned and fled with the swiftness nc
man could hope to rival.
A few days since she was seen again
and then had in her hand three pleas
ants and four RABBITS, but although these
encountered her, she elujed every at
tempt to capture her. She has been 60
long in the woods that she has become
perfectly wild. Her dress is made Of
the skins Of wild animals and q blank
Ell that she has taken somewhere dur
ing some OF her nocturnal predatory
tours.
The case il mes, extraordinary one.
That a girl of twelve years old could
thus give up the endearments Of home,
the pleasures o. human intercourse and
the delights OF civilized life, and tor
eighteen years live like wild animal
as Lucinda Lewis has done, seems to us
something beyond possibility, and moth
ing but our having the fullest conf
derce in our informant, would induce
US to ask the public to believe such O
thing possible.