Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-05-24
A SINGULAR CASE.

A WILD GIRL IN GREEN Co., Pa
EIGHTEEN YEARS IN THE WooDs.-We
are indebted to John Messenger, Esq,
of Windridge, Green county, Pa, for
the following account Of a young wo-
man, who for eighteen years has been
running wild in the woods in his neigh
borhood. We know Mr.. Messenger to
be a truthful 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
impossible to disbelieve his statement,
extraordinary as it is. He writes
A man living near Windridge, Green
county, Pennsy lvania had born to him
five children, four girls and one boy.
His name is Daniel Lewis. When quite
young the boy and second daughter,
named Lucinda Lewis, developed quite
fondness for hunting aid were out
nearly all the time, roaming the woods
in search of game. They seemed to de
light in nothing so much as the fell life
of hunter, and would be gone from
home for weeks at time. After some
four or five years, the boy quit it and
entered on the more industrious pur-
suits of life, but the girl continued in
the chase. Drawing herself more and
more from human intercourse and re-
straint she has become wild woman
keeping from the approach of her kind
with the speed of deer.
During the early years of her solitary
life she used to approach her fathers
house ani entice the dogs to follow her,
learning almost any breed of dogs to
become good hunters. In the hope of
brin ging her back to her home and
civilization, her brother followed her
and shot the dog she had taken away
using every inducement to get her to
90 back with him. But all in vain.
For eighteen years, since she was
twelve years of age, she has lived this
wild life, sleeping in the centers OF straw
stacks during the night and hiding in
them during the summer the wild and
cultivated fruits she intends for her
winters store of provisions. She is now
thirty years old, and is as wild as the
most untamed denizens OF the forest.
Mr.. Messenger says he at one time
while out hunting, met her inthe woods.
Her long black hair, covering her face
and eyes, was matted with burs and
leaves, and her black flashing eyes made
her startling picture. She remained
perfectly still until he got within TWEEN
ty feet OF her when she turned and fled
with the swiftness no man could hope
to rival
A few days since she was seen again
and then had in her hand three pheas-
ants and four rabbits, but although these
encumbered her, she eluded every at
tempt to capture her. She has been SO
long in the woods that she has become
perfectly wild. Her dress is made OF
the skins of wild animals and blanket
that she has taken somewhere during
some of her nocturnal predatory tours.
The case is a most extraordinary one.
That girl of twelve years old could
thus give up the endearments of home,
the pleasures of human intercourse and
for eighteen years live life like wild
animal as Lucinda Lewis has done seems
to us something beyond possibility, and
nothing but our having the fullest conf
dence ir our informant, would induce US
to ask the public to believe such thing
possible.-Wheeiing Register.
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