The National tribune., 1882-06-03

grow large and coarse, and a down appeared
upon her upper lip. The presence of this
latter greatly distressed her, and as it con-
tinued to grow in spite of all her efforts to
prevent it, she became so ashamed that she
refused to accompany the Baxter's to the
family pew in the village church, or to min
gle in any of the parties IN which she had
once been the most courted belle. The fam
ily, while deeply regretting the loss of ROsa's
personal attractions, tried to laugh her out
of her sensitiveness, but the girl appeared to
be consumed with a secret grief. Her mind
was somewhat diverted from its silent sor-
row at this period by the sickness of Mrs.
Baxter About six months after this Rosa
did not appear as usual one morning. No
answer came from her room, and when it
was broken open it was found to have been
unoccupied that night. All Rosa's clothes
were there hanging up, even to those she
was accustomed to wear about the house
Mr.. Baxter sent his son Charles to look into
the barn, dreading to enter it himself, for
dreadful suspicion of suicide was uppermoss
in his thoughts. But Rosa was not in the
II,
farm. At last the searchers found two let
ters in her trunk-one addressed to Mrs.
Baxter. the other to her parents. The con-
tents Of Mrs. Baxter's letter created the ut
most CONSERVATION. It said that the writer
had gone away; that it would be useless to
follow her; that her life had become I'M
bearable; that within year nature had
worked complete metamorphosis unsexing
! her and making it necessary to change her
/ home and raiment. The astOnished Baxters
/ discovered that she had left all her female
/ clothing, down to the minutest article, and
! that she had attired herself in a suit of
/ clothes belonging to DR.. 4. A. Freeman, at
this writing an alderman of the First ward
of Erie.
Dr. Freeman was yearly visitor at the
Baxter farm, and ne frequently spends day
or two there, and he was well acquainted
with Miss Fear when she was Little Rosa,
and he often saw her when she lived with
the Bakers. He had been visiting there q
week before she disappeared and had left
suit behind by mistake. A month passed
away and letter came In Rosa's line hand.
Il informed the family that the writer was
well, and was working as a farm-hand in
Ohio, but the stamp ofthe letter would give
no clew TO her address. Two years elapsed,
and one morning a fne-l0oking young man
with suu-burned face, magnificent beard and
heavy, dark mustache, stood at the gate Of
the Fear homestead.
Do you not know me, Mary 2" be said 70
the young lady who came out to ascertain
his business The tones were deep and
manly, and there was familiar tone IN the
strangers voice.
at is Rosa" said the girl; and the next
moment the spectators of that scene were re-
galed with . sight Of Miss Mary Fear clasped
IN the arms of e young fellow, giving back as
many kisses on his mustache as he shOwered
, upon her upiifted face.
Not Rosa, but Charles Fear, now," said
the whilom housemaid, and then he told
them how. after that wonderful change, he
= had hired out as male help; that he had
made q little money and had come home to
live and work ON the farm. Mr.. Charles
runs that farm to-day, and Ripley has no
citizen held in higher estimation than he
Since his return he has twice been appointed
d, a teacher in the public schools, and he can
be seen on the Fear farm every day of the
. week.
Such is the remarkable story. The refer
ences given were hunted up, and although
there was a reluctancy to speak about it, al
confirmed the story and indicated that theil
= reluctance to speak of it arose from an ap-
l prehension that Mr.. Fears family would moi
p like to have the story published. DR.. Free
! man vouched for the story about the suit o
= clothes, stating that he was we well acqsint
, ed with all the circumstances connected will
h the case.