The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-17
A STRANGE STORY.
4 Beardless Entry Clerk Discovered 10 Be a
Woman.

. by Langfield, Turner & Andrews, man
: u%facturers of leather goods. writes
= Philadelphia correspondent to II Net
. York Herald. Among the number un
V til this afternoon. was a young entr,
I. clerk known as Charles Hunter. HI
I was engaged about six months age
3 and did the work assigned him in
=! perfectly satisfactory manner. He
was quite effeminate in appearance
and conduct, and though fully 20 years
of age had not a suspicion of a mus.
!, tache or beard on his face. His
clothes did not fit him, and had evi.
IDENTIFY been purchased at a ready
made clothier's. The other bookkeep-
ers guyed their companion, and many
of them acquired a playful habit OF
rubbing him on the chin as they asked
where his beard was. All these jokes
the young person received in good
part, and even listened with relish to
the fabulous tales of the clerks about
the frai1 sex.
He attended to the duties in the
counting-room with fidelity until about
a month ago, when he began to absent
himself for about an hour every fore
noon and an hour every afternoon.
4ulS WCub Ou lOl 5Ouuc Ilulc WlluOub
occasioning comment, but the chief
bookkeeper finally found 1t his duty to
report the new clerk. IL was also OBJ
served that Hunter became preoccu-
pied and less careful about the work.
Mr.. Turner and his partner, Mr.. An
drews, had q conference about the
young clerk. They decided to give
him a further trial, and directed the
head bookkeeper to caution him, but
Hunter continued to take his depart
ure rs usual, and the absence was of
the same duration. A young clerk in
the front office, who doubtless knew by
experience when policy numbers were
posted, advanced the theory to his en-
ployer that Hunter bought lottery
tickets.
This afternoon Mr.. Andrews, who
prides himself on his ability as O stu
dent of character, decided to stop
what he believed to be Hunters only
vice, and at the same time to surprIs
and trick him of his secret. So when
the young man reentered, after the
usual absence, Mr.. Andrews called
him into the inner Office, and after
closing the door, .began slowly and
solemnly: "We have found you out,
and the best thing for you to do is to
make a clean breast of everything"
'Indeed-" CONSERVATION was
depicted in the clerks face.
Eyes, l know this is a delicate thing
for both of u.s." continued Mr.. And
rews. "But we have stood it as long
as we can. Now will you tell me one
thing morep" The employer now
knew that he was on the right track to
a tale of embezzlement or worse.
Certainly" was the answer, with a
sob.
"Why do you GO away twice a day?"
''To nurse my baby. You see | had
home because he didn't thrive on the
The look on the merchants face
can not be described. Here was a
young man in trousers talking about
nursing a baby. Andrews had intend
to surprise Hunter, but Hunter had
paralyzed him.
"What! are you a womanp"
"You just said you knew all about ]
t, didn't youP" ,
Eyes; oh, yes, SO l did," suffered l
he COMPOUNDED Andrews. Then the q
7oung woman burst into tears, realiz- t
ng that she had been deceived into a e
confession. 1
To the correspondent she said: "My
lame is Mrs. Elizabeth Hunter, and
ny husband has been a clerk in a dry
FOODS house. Six months ~ his n
lealth became very bad, and we saw q
distress threatening us. l had a young ii
ably, and that complicated the situa- =
ion very much. We did not know q
What to do. We came from Michigan. l.
dy father owned a store in the village n
where we lived. l was taught to keep 8,
cooks. l suggested that l get a place a
s b~ookkeeper. | got a neighbor to q,
axe the baby at 81 a week, and l g;
a position. My sex prevented Il
from succeeding. l became des- a.
crate. Our money was nearly ex- q,
austed, and my husbacd, poor fellow, al
yas unable to work more than half a.
me. We must have means to live. l d
leasured myself as well as | could. n
hen 1 bought q cheap ready made 10
ait. lsaid it was for my brother. ii
II then went to the Young Mems .,
hristian association, registered, and d,
'aited for a situation to seek me. Mr.. Il,
uluCi . oOH dtttuuS bHeTc. he is q N,
enerous-hearted young fellow. He n,
ot acquainted with me and secured cs
e the situation. l did my work Of
.ithfully until forced to bring my az
lid home. He did not do well with re-
nurse. Cows milk did not agree A
it'll him. l don't know if l make m
yself clear to a young man like you, IN
it l can't help it. My daily absence il
feed little James attracted attention n
ID | have lost my situation. | earned IN
lily 81 a week, but was to have nv he
ages raised the first of next month. bS
shall have TO leave town, because [ w,
q told have broken a state law in he
mems clothes. l have kept in
9 wolf from the door, however, and IN
we'd my self-respect. I'd like to find w,
place in New York where an honest or,
can carr IN honest living. DO %
intend to resume male attireP Yes,
no other means is open. mean to
and not to fall. It's a censorious
)rld this. but I'm ready tn adont