River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-05-28
A STRANGE PASSENGER.
How a Clever Woman Was Caught
on ShipbOard

How a Clever Woman Was Caught
on ShipbOard-
When nv packet shiD the Hermione,
was preparing to sail from Liverpool
for New York. | was warned to take
precautions against receiving as pas
senger a certain Mary YOungsOn, who,
while nursing her sick husband-a man
considerably her senior-had poisoned
him TO death, laid hold of all the money
and valuables she could get, and then
had made Oft IL was thought that she
would try 20 leave England on some
outward bound ship-mOst likely for
America. where she had friends-and
therefore sharply serutinized the pas
seugers, eight IN number, who were
brought of to my vessel in a tender.
A. they stepped aboard was relieved
- perceive that none Of them Tailed
with the description l had obtained
of Miss IOungsOn, who | was told,
was beautiful woman, over thirty
fiye YEAR Of age, about five feet six
inches in height, and very slender,
with brown hair, dark eyes, and a
clear complexion. She had been born
and educated abroad. but her father
had been an Englishman, and an
amateur actor. from whom she had in
herited remarkable capacity for de-
ceiving people as To her character.
Two Of the female passengers who
now came aboard were married ladies,
aud of dark complexion. there were
also two young women Of about
-. Mis- I rtlufu
and stout; the other, Miss Merwin,
slender and tall, apparently not less
than five feet nine inches. with the
most childish. innocent looking face,
Sor one of Lcr age. that I ever saw.
She had brown hair and eyes, small,
bHby-like features, and smooth, glow
ing cheeks which were constantly
dimplcd with smiles A. she slightly
lifted her long skirt. we saw that instead
of shoes or boots zhe wore ornamented
buskins OF some kind of soft leather,
which made no noise when she walked
Afterward we learned that she wore
them because she had lately sprained
her feet and could not yet bear harder
leather.
From the first / could see that my
son Tom. a young man of twenty-five,
and chief officer, was -eatly impressed
By this GIL
lie Ia Z always liked tail women. and
anythiug '.tabyish" in their looks or
manners particularly pleased him
Still. I was surprised at the end of
one short week after we sailed to learn
that he had actually proposed to her
and been accepted
she j. SO artless, SO ingenious, so
free from guile OF any kind, said he,
.'that YOU can read her heart at once
We are 70 be married on coming back
10 Liverpool, ut the hOus, Of her aunt,
who Is expecting her. With her usual
childish frankness she informed me
that. although having small fortune
in three pr cents left 10 her by her
father, who was merchant, she Is at
present short Of cash. which would
hinder her from purchasing. on land
inx. certain little articles She desired
toward a wedding routtit. was SO
touched by her shy, infantile way.
blended with timid distress at having
TO tell me this. that l at once went TO
my room and procured the $1,000
United States bond. which you know
lately bought with my savings and gave
II 70 her. telling her where she could get
It cashcd, ami babe her then take out of
y whatever She needed"
why, Tom. You don't So SOP
cried. rather startled
..Of course" he answered. why
nOt2 We are engaged. and It ought to
he the same about money matters as if
We were married
he went below. and | sat long in the
moonlight, thinking II over as hasty.
foolish piece Of business, when sudden
" was startled by he cry Of the look
out forward.
sail. no, RICH. ahead
The stranger-a large ship-put her
helm a-port 50 : had no doubt she
would ia Is safely enough, but, as
she was going by, Ter helmsman, raised
his wheel too sOor, her bow swung
off. and her jibboom caught under my
sPanlSer sheet. lifting the spar and
swapping il of with crash
There was noise and confusion as we
worked briskly TO keep the two yes
sels apart and prevent further damage,
in the midst of which several Of the
passengers came running up. some
what frightened. 10 fluid out what was
the matter
1T j. nothing. We are all right now.
cried, - reasSure them, a the other
Ehip swung clear 81 rs
Miss Merwin had emerged from the
companion way after the others: and
a. looked toward her form. distinctly
revealed by the moonlight and one Of
the lanterns. | stood stock-Stil in the
utmost astonishment, for, as true as
am living man. her stature now
seemed at leas. three inches shorter
than I had hitherto seen il,
was the only one who noticed her
~ that time and ON meeting my gaze
she drew back rs quick as a dash, and
vanished in the cabin
The strange phenomenon 7 had wit
messed for a moment almost took away
nv breath My whole mind was fixed
upon this one thing. and when my son
came MP. a few hours later. To- take the
deck. described the singular change
had noticed in Miss Merwin's stature
tie stared at me at first a. If he
Thought me mad; then broke cut into
an iucredulcus laugh. saving that my
eyes or the imperfect light must have
deceived me
/ knew better. however; but. finding
j could not convince him. told him 10
wait until the young lady should appear
At breakfast in the morning. when he
might see for himself.
Two hours later the second mate
came up - relieve Tom. who then
went below The officer. seeing me
seated in reyerie on the quarterback,
walked amidships. where he stood lOOk-
ing carelesslv forward.
All AZ once. Judge Of my surprise,
when. ON raising my head. beheld.
leaning against the rail near me. a per-
son had never seen before-a slender,
midGle-aged man. of rather low stature.
with hair covering nearly every part Of
the face excepting the eyes, which
g.i,tcred like freballs IN the moon
liS.j,
Why. halloa, Who are you? Where
dlt You come frOm?' ! cried
Pray don't excite yourself" he
eoolly answered. Il am 3 detective,
AMI gus aboard In the harbor through
tes s0RsirsRSs ei sss Of YOps crew.