Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-06-26
4 PENNSYLVANIA ROMANCE.

4 PENNSYLVANIA ROMANCE.
Every day proves the verify Of
that tritc old saying that Truth is
stranger than fiction Here now we
have from our own State and from II
oga county one Of the widest regions
of the state, Il story romantic enough
for the foundation Of novel, aud one
which We condcusc n follows: Kate
Hanson, n girl OF odd masculine ways
and only Is years old, disappeared
from her Tioga home twenty-five years
ago. She used 10 spend much OF her
time in the wood-, being fond Of hun
ting and expert with both rifle aud
rod. and one day. taking the rifle pre-
scented 30 her bv her father she di-ap-
pcared in the woods never to return.
Everything possible was done to find
trace Of her, but at last she was given
up Is lost II was thought by her
companions that Kate having formed
an attachment for worthless Young
mar, johnson by name, and her pa
rents having forbidden marriage with
him, had clopcd with him. Colonel
Wilson, of this city, spent the winter
Of 1876 in Cuba, meeting while there
Major Jamc- Hopkins, of Ohio, who
served in Thomas division during the
war. Hopkins owned n fine planta-
ton in the interior and warmly invit-
ed him to become his guc-t. The
home was a delightful one presided
over hy Mrs. Hopkins, a handsome
and digniiicd lady Of about forty. He
had two children. and all were living
. happy aud coutcuicd. In the conf
dcnce bcgotten Of acquainiauccship, it
finally came out that Mr.. Hopkins
was none other than Kate Hanson, Of
Tioga county, and Wilson was intrust-
cd by her with the salient points of
her history since her disappearance,
and requested to inform her relative
that she would, a soon n possible, paw
them visit. The story .hc told Is a
singular one.
When her father ordered her to
cease receiving Johnson's attentions.
she concluded he was right, but could
not get rid of Johnson's company but
/ by leaving home. She passed that
night in the woods, and the next dav
found a hunters cabin-ihc owners
absent Appropriating n suit of their
I clothes, she disguised herself, travelled
to Dunkirk, and found situation n
cook on Detroit and Buffalo lake
boat. One day she read an advertise.
mcnt giving a minute description Of
her and offering a reward for infor-
nation. This alarmed brr, and she
wandered 10 Cincinnati and found
employment on an Ohio river steam.
er, in which position she remained
until the outbreak of the civil war.
when she joined an Ohio regiment.
and was in all Of the engagements Of
Gen. Thomas division. In 1863 she
was promoted TO sergeant in her com
pany. In 1864 her captain met her
one day as she was returning from
stationing n guard. He said TO her
that he had long suspected that she
was woman, and demanded to know
I if such was the case. The charge was
so sudden and unexpected that she
lost her selfposscssion and convicted
herself by her reply. She begged the
captain not to reveal her secret, but
he took her before Gen. Thomas and
made the strange fact known TO him.
Kate was at once sent back TO the
.,,I 60
attire. She became n nurse in the
hospital, and soon had in her care the
captain, he having been wounded in
skirmish. Between the captain and
the nurse, whom he had detected in
the ranks of his company, strong
affection formed. At the close of the
war they were married, the captain,
meantime, having been promoted 10
the rank of major. Major Hopkins
family was one Of the best in Ohio,
and il refused TO recognize his wife
She had 5000, which she had saved
from her earnings on the steamer.
This was in a Cincinnati bank. She
drew il out, and, with her husband,
went to Cuba. There they prospered
and were found by Colonel WiNon in
1876. Word has been received from
Mrs. Hopkins that she and her hus-
band and children will sail for New
York in August, and visit the home
she so mysteriously left nearly quar-
ter of century ago.