The Penn's Grove record., 1884-02-09
s'oW-kep aside and make room for
fresh C and modern enterprise.

'NfncheSter, Va, arler existing Tor 81
/ years as a woman suddenly discovers
that she was a man, and then took
unto herself q wife-was one of the
most astounding pieces Of news ever
printed, and created a widespread III
terest. At first many people supposed
it was merely a sensational yarn, con
ceived by some INSCRIPTIONS newspaper
scribblor, but later developments con-
clusiyely prove the truth of the strange
story, n all its details.
in acquaintance Of ours who resides
in Virginia informs us by letter that
he is personally acquainted with Miss
or Mr.. Payne, and that he once called
upon her at her farm, near Winchcs-
ter, for tue purpose Of endeAvoring to
sell her some plows for which he was
agent. lie said she was a woman Of
pleasing appearance, not at all mascu-
lin in looks, and possessed Of business
tact and energy 10 an unusual degree.
She personally managed the affairs Of
the farm, frequently spending whole
days in the fields, in order to see that
the farm hands attended properly to
their labor and did not abuse the
horses. In addition to farming she
also engaged to a considerable extent
in stock raising.
AT this time, he says, but few per
sons in the ueighborhood had any sus-
picions of Miss Payne's real sex,
though there was considerable specu-
lation in regard 20 a sister, two years
younger. or this lady it was stated
that that the midwife who was present
at her birth subsequently remarked
that she was neither one thing OF the
other 1t is also related in the nGjgI-
borhood shat shortly after the bate var
she became betlIr0thed 10 an officer of
the Union army, but postponed the
contemplated marriage from tine to
time, ana finally broke the match, with
out assigning any reasonable Excuse.
The young suffer took his dismissal
very much to heart, it is said, and for
a while after hearing the reports con-
corning his ~attianced it was feared he
would lose his reason
The following additional particulars
in relation to Miss Payne's unexpected
discovery and subsequent marriage VIC
given by a correspondent of the New
! York Word.
J The mysterious parsonage n0Wn rs
[ Lydia Rebecca Payne in this commu-
nifty, but who Claims TO be Il man,
reached the village of Rest, neal here,
/ with ms bride. Annie Hinton. Payne
is of medium build, and does not look
/ unlike a man until he attempts to walk
or move. Then his lack of familiarity
with male habLlimenls becomes appar-
ent. lie a plain gray pcpper-aad-
salt coat. a black vest and black trous-
ers. The latter dtted closely TO bis
neither limbs, which are of fine mould
end as deiieately constructed and SHAPE
ly as those of a female.
II really di not suspect my true
SEIZE said, ''until three or four
weeks ago, when some casual remark
made by a lady friend aroused my sus-
picions. z then determined to 20 to
DR., Maguire, Of Winchester, bat did
not inform him of my perpIexity .4ftef
professional inquiry he at once, bus
with much hesitancy, made known my
true seH. | suppose it was tie force of
nature which impelled me to fall in
love with Miss Hinton, although I
never conld understand the feeling
which my passion for hep inspired
when first met her Is a servant in
our family, and WIS styuek with her
beauty and ladylike bearing, and soon
found that l thought IL great deal more
of her than of anyone else l knew"
'"Wil you wear mans clothing hence
forth Mg. Payne?'' asked the CORES
pendent.
"Of course l will" he responded,
with an expression which would have
been mistaken for a blush Had he been
. woman. II wish l could continue
i'll the dress l have worn all my life,
but people would look at mt SC. that l
would be annoyed"
"IIow did you manage about getting
your boots on2"
"Welly now, do you know" lie re-
marked, with a womanly giggle, II
had on awful time? We men have to
get used to these things, however"
Mrs. Payne, who is a pleasant-faced
refined lady of about twenty-five years
at first refused to talk, but her husband
told her she had better have ,he troub-
lie oyer and done with it. She said
that she had loo'eed on Mr.. Payne rs a
woman until he had informed her 9TH
erwise, Then she ceased to regard
| him as a woman and they became low
ers as they had been friends. She was
not at all ashamed of the new expert
ence of her husband, and her love for
him wa such that she did not care
what the world said about him. She
knew he vas a man and that was
enough for her,
Payne, through his counsel, will ap-
ply to the court 10 have his maine
changed to John Calhoun Payne at
the next sitting of The court lie init
mates that he VIII then ramarry his
wife in Virginia.
His sisters accept the situation philo