Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-05-21
A STRANGE PASSENGER.
How Clever Woman Was Caught
on Shipboard.

how Clever Woman Was Caught
on Shipboard.
When my packet ship. the Hermione,
was preparing to sail from Liverpool
for New York, l was warned to take
precautions against receiving as pas
senger a certain Mary Youngson, who
while nursing her sick husbands man
considerably her senior-had poisoned
him to death, laid hold of all the money
and valuables she could get, and then
had made off. 1t was thought that she
would try to leave England on some
outwardbound ship-most likely for
America, where she had friends-and
therefore l sharply scrutinized the pas
sengers, eight in number, who were
brought off to my vessel in a tender.
AS they stepped aboard l was relieved
to perceive that none of them tailed
with the description | had obtained
of Miss Youngson, who 1 was told,
was beautiful woman, over thirty
five years of age, about five feet six
inches in height, and very slender,
with brown hair, dark eyes, and
clear complexion. She had been born
and educated abroad, but her father
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,
and of dark complexion; there were
also two young women of about
twenty-one; one a Miss Lorton, plain
and stout: the other, Miss Merwin,
slender and tall, apparently not less
than five feet nine inches, with the
most childish, innocent looking face,
for one of her age, that | ever saw.
She had brown hair and eyes, small,
baby-like features, and smooth, glow
ing checks. which were constantly
dimpled with smiles. As she slightly
lifted her long skirt, we saw that instead
of shoes or boots she wore Ornamented
busl1inS 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, young man of twenty-five,
and chief officer, was greatly impressed
by this girl.
He had always liked tall women, and
anything ''babyish'' IN their looks or
manners particularly pleased him.
Still, l 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 is so artless, so ingenious, SO
free from guile of any kind" said he,
shat Won can read her heart at once.
We are TO be married on coming back
to Liverpool, at the house OF her aunt,
who is expecting her. With her usual
childish frankness she informed me
that, although having a small fortune
in three per cents. left to her by her
father, who was a merchant. she is at
present short of cash, which would
hinder her from purchasing, on land
ing, certain little articles she desired
toward a wedding coutfit. l was so
touched by her shy, infantile way,
blended with tirid distress at having
to tell me this, that 1 at once went to
nv room and procured the $1,000
United States bond, which you know
lately bought with my savings, and gave
it to her, telling her where she could get
it cashed. and babe her then take out of
it whatever she needed
'Why, Tom, you don't say sop /
cried. rather startled.
ssOf course" he answered. why
not? We are engaged, and It ought to
be the same about money matters as IL
we were married"
He went below, and sat long in the
moonlight, thinking it ever as hasty,
foolish piece of business, when sudden
" was startled by the cry of the look
out forward.
Sail, no! right ahead"
The stranger large ship-put her
helm a-port, so l had no doubt she
would pass us safely enough, but, as
she was going by, her helmsman, raised
his wheel too soon, her bow swung
off. and her jibboom caught under my
spanker sheet. lifting the spar and
Swapping it off with a crash.
There was noise and confusion as we
worked briskly to keep the two YES
sells apart and prevent further damage.
in the midst of which several of the
passengers came running up. some
what frightened, to and out what was
the matter.
1T is nothing; we are all right now,
] cried, to reassure them, as the other
ship swung clear of u.s.
Miss Merwin had emerged from the
companion way after the others: and
as I looked toward her form, distinctly
revealed by the moonlight and one OF
the lanterns. stood stocf>-still in the
utmost astonishment for, as true as 1
am a living man, her stature now
seemed at leas. three inches shorter
than 1 had hitherto seen it!
was the only one who noticed her
at that time, and on meeting my gaze
she drew back as quick as flash, and
vanished in the cabin.
The strange phenomenon mad W.T.
messed for a moment almost took away
my breath. My whole mind was liked
upon this one thing, and when nv son