The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-28

me went. never hesltated to show thas
1 disliked coarse and irreverent and vs.,
gar conversation. My mates soon Leu, u
this, and would often say, If IL SEEM
likely 10 drift extensively far in that a,
rection, Ere STOW that. Charley Wilson,
by, and e 'ares that sort O. STUFF -" r.
ing such good wages as she did she co',ls
live IN comfort, and had nice little house
IN GaniG zen Ierrace, near the Victoria
docks. Two people, however, knew H.
secret, one being her mother who thongb
bitterly regreting that her daugbte.
should have regarded 1t necessary to a.
sumo the disguise, never said an unkin5
word to her on the subject; and the otber
was a niece, who for two and and twerfS
years Kept house for her and was h.
lieved by all the neighbors to be "CharIe,,
Wilson'S wife" 1t was a very quiet ana
respectable street. and her little gar5a1
ana several cage birds were her chi.s
recreation and pleasure and a constant
source of admiration in the district.
Again, as you say you were sent often
to the country on jobs. how did you man
age for lodgings?" 1 inquired.
Now that 1 look back" she answers
1t does seem remarkable that bsve
never once found it inevitable to sleep IN
the same room with a man. 1 used to "a
TO cottages rather than to public houses
for, though have never been teetotaler
the accommodation of the village inn il
1 was on some work in South Kensingt0n
l met man had known. and he said.
Charley, old chap, there's a first-rate
thing some of us are going down to. Its
near West Grinstead-the whole of Sir
William Burrells mansion to be decorat-
ed, and there's a vacancy STILL I hesitat.
ed little, but it seemed a good thin,
so I offered myself and went We all got
down there, and while they were sitting
round their lunch, I strolled out saw
nice old fellow smoking over a gate, and
said: Know where 1 could get a room7
I'm here for the painting Of the big house.
Don't know as we couldn't do with Won
ourselves and he took me in and showed
me a clean and comfortable room, which
l Immediately engaged, and, fearing lest
any of my companions would want 10
share it, I said I would have my wife
down also and my. niece; and I had as
healthy and comfortable a summer in the
country as you could have wished"
About two years ago Mrs. Coombes'
niece suddenly left her, and womanlike.
she fretted very much in private over this.
AS she said her life was strangely iso.
lated one, and she loved her young rela-
tive very dearly. 1t was altogether
blow to her to be deprived of this one Bit
of family affection and she lost heart
and nerve in consequence. Working ar
Kingston in the summer, she fell from
scaffolding and fractured some ribs. Shs
made a good recovery, but no suspicion
even then was raised as to her sex by
the doctor who set them and attended her,
any more than it had been when she fell
down ships hatch and fractured her
kneecap. On this occasion, however, the
doctor had said one day: what curious
ly small hands you have for a man. WI.
son." Looking, too, at them, well formed
and even white, it is almost a wonder
that these never did raise any inquiry
But her savings were soon exhausted. and
for the past few weeks work was unob-
tainabIe. For two days and two nights
this brave-hearted woman tramped the
streets with no more tnan a halfpenny
roll TO eat, and at last she was fain to
seek the shelter of the workhouse. She
chung to hope that somehow she might
evade the compulsory stripping, but this
was impossible and feminine modesty re-
volted even TO yielding up the secret she
had kept so long.
But l hope shall not have to stay here
long she piteously said. 'My eyesight
is not as good as 1t was, and I fear I shall
not be able to undertake high-class paint
ing work again; but 1 could act as care
taker, could keep a lodge, and should be
very thankful if l could hear of any posi-
ton of trust. 1 am doing my best while
l am here, and the matron is very kind
to me. giving me only some stockings TO
darn and sheets to hem, instead of sending
me to scrub or wash. And feel very un-
comfortable in these clothes, though You
would not find me wanting any half-and-
half 'bloomers' if ] can't have any old
coat and trousers she added, with a
bright laugh. yes" she said in answer
to further question still. 81 have friends
among the men I've worked with whom
I've helped when times have been good
with me and bad with them and I really
wish you could have seen my meeting here
with that man." pointing to a painter who
was busy with brush and pot at the front
door of the matrons quarters. "He could
only gasp. and say Charley Wilson, as I'm
alive! Well, that beats all! But If you'd
come to me and told me how it was I
wouldn't have said anything outside. only
you shouldn't have come in here to this "
Is 1t too much to hope that some kind
hand will be stretched out to help this re-
markable woman to end her days in quiet
and away from anxiety, or that some gen.
tie lady may find her post after the storm
and stress of more than forty years Of
isolation from the friendship and the SYM
pathy which women hold so dear?