Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-02-07
THE MAN WHO PASSED AS A
WOMAN.

A sensation has been created in Vir
ginia by the spectacle of the proprietor
of little store in the village of Rest, in
Frederick county, Va, who was old
enough to be termed an old maid, sud-
denly abandoning femenine garments
for those of the other gender and also
assuming the privilege of a man by
marrying Annie Hinton, who had been
for several years employed as a servant
IN the family. The name this monde
script had passed under for 35 years was
Elizabeth Rebecca Payne, but prefer
ring the name of John under the altered
circumstances. an application is to be
made to the legislature for permission
to change his given name. He says that
he really did not suspect his true sex
until about three weeks since, when a
casual remark made by lady friend
aroused his suspicion, and be had a con-
ference with DR.. Mcguire. who made
known to him his true sex. The new
Mrs. Payne is about % years of age and
refined in appearance. She ssys that she
had looked on Mr.. Payne as a woman
until he had informed her otherwise.
Then she ceased to regard him as wo-
man, and they became lovers as they
had been friends. She was not at all
ashamed of the new experience of her
husband, and her love for him was such
that she did not care what the world
said about him. She knew he was a
man, and that was enough for her.
The sisters of the bridegroom accept
the situation philosophically, and do not
hold any ill-feelings against their new
sister-in-law. Payne lately rode on
horseback into Winchester. For the
first time the residents saw him sitting
aside the beast, instead of on a lady's
side saddle. He appears to be perfectly
Indifferent to public curiosity and non
chalently replies to any questions of a
humorous character that is asked him,
and such questions have been fairly
numerous.
Previous to the application for Ii
cense, Payne, it is said, informed two or
thIee of his male friends in the neigh
borheod that he intended to marry Miss
Hinton, accompanying the information
with the further revelation of his true
sex.
The astonishing news had spread
around the neighbOrhOod of the Paynes
home, situated seven miles south OF
Winchester. before the marriage license
was asked for, and some cautious whis
pers of it had reached Winchester itself.
As Miss Payne" the mysterious person
age, had been known for many years in
this vicinity, the unsexiag came upon
the community like a clap of thunder
from clear sky. 1t spread throughout
the valley, pervaded all classes of socie-
ty and was soon uI on the lips of every
one. Nothing since the greaS battle OF
the late war has created so decided a
sensation in this interesting and historic
little city and up and down the Shenan-
doah Valley. The Payne family we're
of undoubted respectability and promi-
nence Therefore society took up the
matter and discussed it--in a daZed sort
of way at first, and then became amused
at the humorous features. The people
marveled and laughed almost in the
same breath. 1t was all 80 strange, and
yet so irresistibly funny. The whole
town has seen Miss Payne ride into
Winchester hundred times in years
past dressed as a lady; and bowed to
her, respected her, admired her some
what masculine grace and ease in man
aging her spirited animal, and several
gentlemen whose hairs we're tinged with
gray to-day recalled some gallant little
speeches Just dashed with tenderness
which they had uttered when bowling
over her hand in years past. A few ot
them remembered the time when al