Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-09-25
MisceIIaueoms.
20
A REAL OLD GIRL OF THE Pc
RI0D.

REOD.
In all probability the most singular and
remarkable woman IN existence resides in
Lewisburg, Pa, and what brings her more
directly into prominence at this time is the
fact that she was one of the principal back
ers of the Active base ball club, of Reading,
when they played the Independent club Of
Lewisburg, on Wednesday, Sept. I'd.
The story Of this remarkable creature
has never found its way into print, and
singular as it may seem, the people of Lew
isburg all unite in saying that they have
never heard of parallel case. Emma
/ Britton is a female dresses like female,
and has the appearance Of a female but
in every other respect she is male. She
! talks, acts and conducts herself in the
most minute particular just like a man.
! When an EdgLe reporter first caught a
glance at her, she was leaning up against
tree on 4 street corner mingling with and
talking to number of young men.
While she was talking she had her legs
crossed in front and was cutting her finger
nails just as natural as any ill-bred man
would do. The reporter asked a Lewis
burg gentleman all about it, and he was
told. The female is said to be in every
way respectable and pure as far as her
| character is concerned. She bears good
name, is rich, speaks to and is well thought
of by everybody, yet she has contracted
boyish habits, mems ways and minor vices,
and has learned almost to hate her sex, as
she shuns them entirely.
In conversation she uses the common
vulSarisms of the day She is witty, bright,
intelligent, and knows how to take her
own part. Young men speak to her just
as she speaks to them, and be the conver-
sation what it will she joins in and talks
her share. No matter how vulgar il is,
she is as vulgar as the rest of them, and
she does it just rs if she had rs good right
to do it as anybody else. Strange as it
may seem, the conversation is never ad-
dressed to her individual self.
Upon the ordinary question of the day
she is well posted, and sporting matters
she knows all the way through. She is
about "a years of age, medium height, me-
dunn weight, has short black hair hanging
about her neck, regular features, small blue
eyes and pale looking. Her weight may
be about 140 pounds, and Wednesday she
was dressed in a gray alpaca oyerskirt
4 fancy stray hat turned on one side.
She welcomed the reporter and immedi-
ately commenced talking base ball. She
possesses good judgment, for as soon as
she saw the Active club she offered to bet
fifty to twenty on them, and to make mat
ters business like she pulled out a roll of
greenbacks. She shook her head, spit out
like man, and declared it was no use talk
ing or playing ''Snide'' club against
crack organization. Then she asked seve-
raj to her private barouche and offered
them refreshments. Lewisburg is in n
local option county and selling liquor at all
is prohibited. 1t is well for liquor drinkers
to know the Lewisburg girl Of the period in
such instances.
The subject Of this article, Miss Britton,
is very successful horsewoman. Like
man she will cross her limbs and trot an
animal as far as any man, and as swiftly
too As a jockey and Judge of horsefesh
she has no superior in that section Of the
State. She drinks liquor when she pleases,
and her motions before the bar or anywhere
else are precisely like those those of a man.
Her style of ball playing is remarkable. No
to her she will catch them as neatly rs
ANYBODY else She throws and bats very
well, while her knowledge of the game
would allow her to umpire as good as any
body else.
! When she is thirsty she will drink ale or
! gin. She never becomes intoxicated, nor
does she chew tobacco. Those two vices
she is free of. But she can swear very ar
tistically, sing cheerfully, dance fairly, run,
Jump, crack a joke, tell 4 stOry-foul or
othcrwise-and keep hei end up in the con-
| versation no matter what the subject may
| be. At times she becomes vulgar, and
/ quite obscene, which, to one not accustOm-
ed to her ways, is shocking and disgusting;
while her male acquaintances pay no more
attention to her than if they had spoken
| themselves. She runs to fires plays foot
| ball loafs around corners sits on curb
stones goes round with the boys fights
and quarrels whenever there is a row :;
! takes her own part, resents an insult and
hates, as 4 general thing, all sorts of ef
feminacy, and has very little to do with
ladies'.
On the ball field she mingled with the
players very freely and when not catch
ing ball she sat down on the grass, cross
/ legged fashion. among bevy of young
men, and intently watched the game.
Strange as it may appear no one ever
speaks to her III a disrespectful manner as
far as relates to her general character ; and
while she is anything but a lady in her
conduct, there is no one in all Lewisburg,
or outside of it for that matter, can say
one word against her or accuse her OF any
! thing worse than what is above recorded.