Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-22
BERTHE WINKLER.

Ac<"E~sNAcs
BERTHE Winkler, child of Virginia,
has opened new field of activity for
girls. There Is a spice of romance
about 1t, too, which is attractive to the
young female mind. BERTHE was lit
tie girl with long ringlets of beautiful
hair flooding her shoulders. She had a
mother who was not able to work for
her and keep her at home, and BERTHE
could get nothing to do In her neigh
borhood by which she could make a
living for herself and help her mother
out. She felt that she was of some use
IN the world, or she would not have
been sent here. She commenced with
herself, and kept her counsels, and ar
ranged bold strike for livelihood.
Her mother would not approve of her
plan, so she did not tell her anything
about it. She got a suit of boys
clothes In which she arrayed herself,
and started out into the wide, wide
world. She changed her garb, because
away from home she would feel safer
IN breeches than in petticoats.
She was a poor, proud little girl, and
her instincts were correct. She cut off
her hair, put on her trowsers, and
started out on her career of a boy. She
travelled, and did boys work wherever
she could get it to do, and managed to
1--we. BY some means, she was discov-
cred IN Philadelphia, the other day
that is, her sex was discovered she
did not come to much grief. The police
became nightly interested in her case.
There was no dOubtabout her goodness.
She told an entirely straight story, and
everybody who heard it believed her.
She suddenly grew into an object of
curiosity, and the people who heard her
history hocked to see her. Each one
left something as a contribution to buy
her female outfit. At the end of one
day, these subscriptions amounted to
seyenty-five dollars, enough to start her
IN the ways and habits of hersex again.
Lots Of letters came, too from good
people, offering her home. One lady
wrote to her: Il am sure you are a
good, generous girl, and if you viii
come TO my house / viii do all
l can for you" She also received Of
LIB VI SASudtlOuS II SdlOOLS Giuu ItSIdu-
rants. Herpolice protectors would not
listen to these. They intend to see
that this waif who drifted so singular
ly In their way is well set up
in the world. They think she
deserves it, and there isn't a
policeman in Philadelphia who would
not stand between BERTHE Winkler and
want or harm with all his might. 4
captain of the force took her to his
home, and is also taking care of the
money that comes IN for her benefit.
OF course she was interviewed, and
the first question was: How did you
fare last night ?" And this is what she
said all put together:
"Oh, very well. / went home with
the captain, had nice supper, a splen-
did warm bath and a good sleep. 7
had been much excited during the day
and didn't expect to sleep much. 1
thought that / would be troubled with
dreams, but l was not. l did not
awake until about eight o'clock this
morning. The captain had daughter
about my size, and l tried on a suit of
her clothing. found them little too
long, and b esides they fit me too close
ly to be comfortable. They didn't
seem right, either, because 1 have had
on this boys rig so long that when l
am out of it l don't feel at home.
tried to part my hair in the middle just
as l used to do when home with my
mother. l didn't get along very well
though, for it wanted to turn over on
one side and stand right straight up on
the other. When / made up my mind
to be boy my hair was the only thing
that worried me, It was long then and
fell in big waves upon my shoulders.
] didn't dare to go to the BARRIERS, you
know, for it would have been Just the
same as giving away my secret. l didn't
know Just what to do for long time,
but at last l plated it IN two long
twists, and them cut them square off
with the scissors. Then after this !
went to the BARRIERS and had ii cut
shorter still"
The next day after this she was to
drop her name of Louis and be provi-
ded with nice new clothes of the femi-
nine gender. The little giTl built bet.
ter thar che thought when she went to
be a boy.