Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-17
CHARLEY PARKHURST.
The Well.Remembcred Man Who
Proved to Have Been a Woman.

Charley ParkhuISt, says the Providence
Journal, lived in Providence for good many
years, and was exceedingly popular with his
associates, and with the people for whom he
worked. He was considered one of the best
by the best people. quite a number OF wealthy
families always depended upon having him for
driver If they ordered stable team. His early
history Is little obscure. He told one of his as
sociateS that he came from New Hampshire but
he did not tell the name of the town. He told
others that he came from the poorhouse in Wor-
cester, from which he had run away. The
truth is quite likely to be that he came from
some part of New Hampshire to Worcester, and
fell into the hands OF the officers of the poor
while there. The story goes that while in the
boys have great advantage over girls in the
battle of life, and he decided to become boy.
He borrowed suit OF boys clothes and eloped
with them from the poorhouse. In the char
acter of boy he went to work in Ebenezer
Balch'S stable, at Worcester. and remained
there until Mr.. Balch moved to Providence
Charley had proved himself faithful and efficient
and Mr.. Balch brought him to the What
Cheer stables, then in the rear of the Franklin
House. Charley soon became an expert whip
His Judgment as to what could and what could
and his pleasant manners won him friends
everywhere. After working for Mr.. Balch a
number of years, Parkhurst went to Georgia
and drove stage for time. He did not like
Georgia, however, and one day he reappeared
among his old friends in Providence. He was
at once engaged by William Hayden, and worked
for , him for number Of years. He then hired
where now Campben's is. He drove the best
team in the stable. The horses were gray ex-
actly matched, and 1t was quite a sight to see
Charley guide through a crowd. He always
took care OF this team himself. He was fond of
ski hand, and called it nothing but fun to
handle four spirited horses. He never was
known to have more than he could do with his
team but once. He went with six horses and
Twenty-Five couples to dance at Pawtucket
one dreadful cold night Coming home, the air
was SO cold and the horses were so frantic that
Charley's hands became numb and he got Lib
erty ChildS to drive the leaders, while he took
charge OF the other four horses.
Now that 1t Is known that Charley was a
woman, there are plenty of people to say they
always thought he was. No doubt they thought
he was not quite like other men; indeed, it was
generally said among his acquaintance that he
was hermaphrod1te His hands were small
and smooth, and. so far from being proud of the
fact, it disguised him, and he wore gloves sum-
mer and winter. He was Thought to be putting
on style, but, as he always dressed WELL the
gloves were looked upon only as a part OF his
high-toned ideas. He was beardleSS and his
voice was a little thin. His shape was more
womanly than manly, but all this was oc-
counted for by the mysterious word generally
pronounced ''mophadite." By way OF setting
his feminine characteristics, Charlie weighed
175 pounds, could handle almost any one that
ever took hold of him, smoked with the placid
ity of an oriental, would take one or two glasses
of whisky punch without winking, never shrank
from any topic of conversation, and. when occa-
sions seemed to demand 1t, slept with another
driver with the utmost sang J1'oid. His mates
used to try to get him drunk once In while In
order to see II he would not betray himself
in some way, but Charley kept his wits about
him, and, after one or two glasses began to
pass" In vain did his comrades urge a few
more drinks Charley was not dry, and when
he was, he would not drink.
He had in the stable room which he fur
nished quite nicely, and where he could gener-
ally be found when not on duty. About 1919,
James Burch and Frank Stevens went to Call
forn1a and started a stage line. After year OF
two they sent for Charley to come and drive fol-
them. He had saved 800 or $500, the gold fever
was pretty strong at the time and about 1851
he decided to go. He drove for Burch & Stevens
awhile, and then went upon the great stage
route across the continent His career in Cali
fOrnia has already been given.
His old friends here had manifested the
greatest interest In his success on the Pacific
coast, and one OF them summed the matter uI
very conciSely. He said: s.Well, there want nc
reason why Charley should not get on well. He
understood his business; he was pleasant and
stiddy and sober, and with them any feller car
| do welLn
The only people who have any occasion to bt
| disturbed by the career OF Charley ParkhurSl
| are the gentlemen who have so much to say
| about "Vomen'S sphere and the "weaker yes
| sell" 1t Is beyond question that one OF the SO
bereSt, pleasanteSt, most expert drivers in thi:
world-famed California stage drivers, was &
woman. And it Is not true that what woman
! has done woman can do? But there is ONT
| drawback which must be admitted. Charley
| died OF cancer OF the tongue. She could act an(
talk like man, but when it came to initiating
the lifelong ef1ort to keep from speaking, ex
| cept when she had something to say, resulted a
last In death from cancer OF the tongue. Per
haps the opponents are right, after all.