The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-23
"C4EASEiTI J4NE.v

/ of a dull, sultry day. She is known by all
| the old settlers from Texas To the Black
/ Hills, and from the Missouri to the Pacific
slope. Aud yet how few in the Rocky
/ mountain region kn,w her real history. In
conversation last night at the Inter Ocean
! with DIR. \. II. Hendricks. of Des Moiues,
Iowa, the peCuiarities of the west and
/ some Of the odd Characters to be found here
! were discussed, and Calamity James name
/ mentioned. Why" said DIR. Hendricks,
Il vas acquainted with her in Iowa aud
! knew her people well. Before came west
! learned that she had acquired the so5l /
quet by which She Is now KNOWN Tho
: sun reporter asked him to relate what he
knew of her eaily history, with which the
doctor complied, aud il II III substance as
| follows
/ Calamity Jane whose real name is
! Jane COombs, was burn at Burling Uou, Iowa,
/ Ill 1S4f, and il therefore about thirty years
old. she is thc youngest of a family of
/ four children, two girls and two boys. The
( father, b. W. COMBS, now dead. was for
many years pastor of she First Baptist
church of Burlington. In 1862 she fell
/ desperately in love with a young tuan who
was, like herself, a member of her fathers
church, aud an engagement followed. The
! father looked with Favor upon the proposed
marriage, but the mother, alas had cui,-
ceived hearty disappruval of the Nuuur,
! nlAii, ahd forbade him tlie house. All at
! iempts at reconciliation failed, and the
young couple. under cover of the darkness
| of a bitter win er night. lied from THEN pa
rental fIuf and the State of them birth
! The voting man; whrse maine was Wash
bourne, took MISS Guomhs to Galesburg,
! III, aud thcre they were married
! Leaving his wife, a young gal not vet
| sixteen, in that cily. WdslIbuultIe entered
! the sixth Illinois as a private soldier, aud
finally rose by gradual promotion to a cap
| taincy. At the battle IF Mil SpIiugs, Ken
/ tucky, with General L ZbllicuffeT's forces, III
! which hat gallant confederate officer fell,
! Washbour1Ie sealed his devotion with his
/ blood. rs Soou as Mrs. Washbourlle. now
! known As Calamity Jaue,' heard of his
| death, she resolved Iu be avenged Leay-
ing GaiesbuTg abont the beginning of 1863
! she d"nned male attire, aud entered the
| Union army As a scout aud spy and served
in that capacity until tire close of the war
| in 1865. y portion of the time she carried
! "A muSket. and was in thee of the severest
/ engagements, hnaliy marching with Sher-
. man to the sea aad back again, ami stack
ing her musIet within the shadow IF The
nation's capital. 1t was not until after the
war that her sex was dicuveIed.
In the army she passed 10y the name of
| Frank MarClen. At the end of the war,
like Otheiio; her occupation was guue. She
! drltted to Texas, aud theie, attircd ia malls
clothing, hunted the wild horse with the
! lasso, becomiug quite an expert in that line
( Since going 10 the Lone Star Stale, ni 1866;
she has travelled all over the States aud
/ Territories west of tie Missouri Ilvcr, aud
her name is as,iamilliar to The fluntiyrsunen
as those of Wild Bill, Texas Jack. ur i5uf.
falO Blil. She ha> hunted the red man of
the plains aud the buffalo served aS a guide,
to experienced buHte,s or llaBpelS, aud
dresses IA buckskin fiom top to toe a great
portion of the time. She il one of he best
d H. .f....-' 49, -I,s.u 4 H..
game of caIus OF billiards, aud X at all
times competent tn get az ay with her allow
ance Of spiritual SuSjeHauce. Ahocet It.r
she is remarkable subject for the basis of
a novel IN the hands nf Ned Buniline. Dr.
Beadie, oI SylvaHus Cobb. Cheyenne sun.
PoURING on. on DhoU BIID WATERS
The effect at oIl ih siiliing troubled VA
Eters has been long known that II has
been constituted the basis OF a proyti hia 1
phrase. \ very small quantity of oil nus
used has frequently overcome a vety DOW
eriul sea. Not MANY years ago a case &C
curi Ell III which Il ships crew VAS enabled,
, during severe stoiDI, to escape to shore
| 10y the help of IA few gallons of oil A
similar and equally successful n,lnyment
oi the same substance Is reported to have
! been made Utf the Cape OF Storms -
, The 'kiug Ceurir,' a vessel of l. 4SO tons.
/ left Liverpool In June last for Bonn 5a,
W hen of the Cape al Good Hope she en-
f countered heavy gale from the northwest
which continued Cor some time Tremen-
doGs seas oroke over the ship, bursting iu
the main hatch, washing away the hatch
house ana boats, smashing ia the front of
the cabin aud destroying ihe CAPTAIN 5
and officers stores and clothing. The ga le
lasted nearly i've days, and though Ia,
I vessel stood IL very vsl - was imDossihle
tn repair any damage. as the waves were
I ] I. b..t-.
the chlet officer suggested the trial of
throw ing oil ;tI,Gn the water. Two canyas
clothes bags aeIe obtained and int, ,.as.,,
two gallons of fine oil was poured. tie
= bags being punctured slightly, and fiun /,
over each quarter IN tow of the vessel
The effect was magical the waves no lo,i,,-
er broke over the poop and sides of th.
. ship. but several yards away, where tie
: oil mad spread itself over the surface a., A
around the poop, in the wake of he vesS. !
; was large ciIcuit of calm water. I'D
: crew were thus able to repair the Gannnr q
with grea er ease, and the ship was reIie,-
ed from the Tremendous silocks she mad
: previously received from the heavy seas,
7 The two bags LASTED two days, '.fter - hicil
: the worst fury of the gale having ex.
pended itself no more oil was used
, A PRECIrrTATE RoosTER-The Scran.
. ton PA. Republican published = few d.,
. after the election says The meinbet. i
, the Twelfth WaId election board relat. =
: ! remarkable nEideut which occurred ,,r
!. Tuesday a. the house where The voline 4, A,
: going un. AZ precisely l2 o'ciuck as the,
. were actively engaged in their duties. :;
: young rouster flew through the window al
:, the room, carrying sash and glass a.t
= y startling the occupants. He perched bin
: self squarely upon the ballot box aud crnN
: ed trinmphantiy several times Before n.
officers recovered from their stirs,FTss- N.
bold intruder had made his way out. AT .,
. scattering the papers and otiikr artie le
= upon the table III lively fashion. III,
officers are at n loss to account for ,bi
!, strange gallinaceuiis feat As the incid,. ,.,,
was related To our reporter, au I'D n,a,
:, with graz beard anj wearing stsectaele
J" ind,ilssd in ccnV ulsive laughter as b.. illus