Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-04-24
A FEMALE ADVENTURER.
A Girl Who Goes Through the War
and Sees Plenty of Fun.
waverly New York Advocate.


Waverly New York Advocate.
In the Advocate of last week was re-
lated the strange history of girl whose
life, up to her eighteenth year, was pass
ed in Tioga county, in northern Pennsyl-
vania. Her name is given as Katie Han
son. She loved the woods, and roamed
freely through the dim aisles of the for
est. Her father presented her with a
rifle, in the use of which she became ex-
pert.
The HansOns were intelligent, educated
people, and had chosen the wilds of the
Tioga wilderness because of the facilities
offered for aceumulating wealth in the
lumber business. The nearest neighbors
of the Hanson's were family named
johnson, who lived half mile away.
They were lazy, dissolute, ignorant and
vulgar people. They lived by numbering,
fishing and hunting.
Between one of the sons of the john
sons and Kate Hanson an attachment
grew out of frequent associations and
hunting excursions. This displeased the
Hanson's, and enmity sprangu between
the two families. Katie was forbidden
to associate with the young man. She
was heads5rong, and did not mind her
fathers injunction.
One day, while in the woods with her
little rifle, she became reflective, and sit
ting on log she worked herself into a
"brown study" The determined to have
no more to do with the HJohnson tribe, -
realizing, as she did, that their social po-
sitions were so unequal that a marriage
with a lazy, ignorant fellow like the
FEyoung Johnson would result only in
unhappiness. Unfortunately her line of
reasoning carried her still further, and
she concluded that the way out of all her
difficulties was to forever leave her old
haunts. When the conclusion was ar
rived at she at once started for the State
of New York. One night was passed in
the lonely woods, and the next day she
came across a hunters cabin, the occu-
pants of which were out. She entered,
found provisions enough for meal, ap-
propriated enough male attire, and then
resumed her journey.
Another night was passed in the for
ests. The next day she entered the vii
lage of Corning, where she took the Erie
train for Dunkirk, to which place the
road had recently been completed. AT
Dunkirk she found employment as cook
on lake boat. The society was not con.
genial, and she soon afterward obtained
the position of head cook on first c1as!
boat plying between Detroit and Buffalo
This position pleased her and she retained
it for long time.
In the meantime her parents had re
sorted to every means to find her. Th,
first night of her absence her fathe
searched the woods; the next day anC
night, and for several days and nights
the search was continued, the neighbor
joining in. Gradually the idea beeam
stronger that she had voluntarily lef
home and friends. Although her de
meanor had always been of the strictes
moral nature and her virtue unquestion
ed, it was feared that in a wild freak sh
had gone to some city or village and en-
tered upon life of shame. This susp
, cion on the part of her parents and sym
pathizing friends was the talk of th
| Johnsons, and the latter lost no opportr
nifty to impress the theory that Katie ha
. been driven to a depraved life by the cor
e duct of her parents. The latter was a
e most crazed. The father advertised
e the papers far and near, and for years /
: searched in vain for his little Katie.
t One day while Katie was in Buffalt
! marketing for the steamboat cook-roon
= she picked up paper and read the adve
!, tisement regarding her and a descriptic
e of her appearance. This alarmed he
|. but her alarm turned to positive fea
l. when, shortly afterward, she saw h
J. father and policeman enter low pla
q on the very street along which she W
D. walking with her market-basket on h
"a arm. She hurriedIy made her purchas
q and returned to the vessel. The thoug
T. that her father suspected her of dishOnC
a ing him by becoming an inmate of sucI
n place as he entered in search of her W
it agonizing, and in order to undeceive hi
,e she almost determined to throw off h
h disguise and return to her mourning p;
e, ents. But stubbornness prevailed, a
e. she preferred that all her suffering shou
or continue rather than abandon her pl
he pose of forsaking all who formerly kn
e. her.
a When her boat returned to Detroit 6
of gave up her situation and went to G
or cinnati, where she obtained employmt