The Washington times., 1904-05-15
COUNTRY DAhSEL
CARRIED BACK HOME
Her Dreams Interrupted
and Boys Suit Discarded.
MUST DEFER STAGE DEBIT
Bessie Austin Returned to Her Father
by Local Police-Ambition's Fire
and the Cruel Law.
MUST DEFER STAGE DEBIT

Protesting vigorously. pulling back at
every step. and threatening to run away
from her home again as soon as she ar
rived, pretty Bessie Austin. the seven
teen-year-old country girl who ran away
from her home at Proffitt Station, Abe
marie county, Va, was taken from Po-
lice Headquarters by her father yes
terday. and the trip home began
Her locks were clipped off, but she
carried them home with her in a small
handsatchel. She left home In a suit of
her brothers clothes, but she was pro-
vided with feminine attire by her rela-
tives yesterday, and was taken away
despite her protests.
Determined to become either an ac-
tress or a circus performer, the girl
who is large for her age stoutly built
and has a country look so blatant that
she could never pass for anything but
an innocent damsel of the fields-left
her home on Thursday Believing she
would meet with more success IL she
masqueraded in boys clothing and
would not be asked so many questions,
she donned her brothers best Sunday
suit packed her hand satcheI with a few
articles of wearing apparel. some pre-
pared chalk for her complexion, and a
pair of shears
Clipped Hair on Freight Train.
sneaking from her house without at
tracing attention. she made her way
to the railroad tracks. She walked for
several miles and finally came to a sta
ton, where she purchased a ticket and
rode on passenger train as far as her
means would permit Then she got
off the train and walked
When she reached a point about TWEEN
~ miles south of Alexandria she
boarded a freight train Seated on the
platform OF freight car, she took her
scissors from the satcheI and began IN
trim her hair. She chopped off hand
ful here. a small bit there, and WAS
making a miserable boteh Of the job,
The brakeman, moved to sympathy.
volunteered to cut 1t correctly and
make II even all around at least.
! AT Alexandria the brakeman, who
was unable TO leave the train, turned
The girl over to gateman In the city,
anu after remaining In the gateuan :
Matchbox all day the girl went homs
with him. She told the gatemans VIE
| her story and promised to remain in the
house until word could be sent to me-
parents in Albemarle county.
/ A dispatch was sent to her father. but
J as soon as the girl learned this she ran
away. She walked along the railroad
track for a mile or more, and boarded
another freight train. coming to Wash
| ingtOn. She was directed 10 the Flor
ence Crittenton Home. where she gain
ed admittance by telling those in charge
| that she was circus performer and
1 had been left behind by the Barnum az
1 Bailey shows. She was taken in ana
/ given work to do.
Recovered by Her Father.
| Meanwhile the father of the girl asked
/ her uncle, p. II. Early. a watchman at
St Asaph's poolroom. to go to the
/ home of the gateman and get the girl.
| When he learned that the girl had run
away from Alexandria and was making
| for Washington he came direct to this
city late yesterday afternoon and en-
listed the aid of the local police. He
visited several missions in the down
town section of the city, and finally
located the girl in the Crittenton Mis-
sion, hut she refused to leave the place.
Detective Muller was called in and
arrested her on q charge of being
fugitive from her parents
She was sent TO the House of Deten-
ton but all her words were either
threats to run away from home or NUT
terings about going on the stage. She
was sent TO Police Headquarters this
morning, and the father took he rfrom
that place about 1896 o'clock.