The Washington times., 1918-08-21
AS GIRL e
YEARS, THEN WEDS

EAST CORINTH. Ne, Aug. 21.-|
Members OF the Union Baptist
Church are about evenly divided over
ssthe proposed expulsion of Sister
Cora" Norton following the discoV-
cry that the young person who has
been posing as a girl here for TWEEN
1ty-three years was actually Mr..
Eugene" Cody Norton.
The village was stirred 10 its
depths a few days ago when Cora"
returned from a trip to the White
mountains in company with MISS
Abby Z. Foster. a teacher In the
East Corinth Academy. and straight
sway applied at the town clerks Of
flee for a marriage license, explain
tng to that astonished official that
-5n reality "she" was a man.
The license was issued, and Norton
and Miss Foster were married IN
Governor MiIllken's office at the
State house in Augusta There have
been noisy serenades under the cou-
pies window since their return. The
: Indignation of the church members
: extends TO "Cora's" bride, because II
is asserted that Norton had confided
The truth regarding his sex TO Miss
Foster, but that the latter had per-
q ceived into the church as sister.
. Draft Board Interested.
Dozens of persons today are declsr-
z5ng that they always had noticed
Cora" had an extraordinarily deep
voice for a girl and that she" was
exceptionally capable with the chores.
EfAking entire care OF herd OF twenty
scows
- Draft board officials are interested
frf the disclosure of "Cora's" sex, as
ys-she" failed to register under the
tiselective law. 1t was in connection
with this that Norton and Miss Foster
went TO Augusta to see the governor.
What took place in tho gubernatorial
office other than that there was a
marriage ceremony has not been dis
closed .-
According to Mrs. Norton. her hus-
bands mother is responsible for the
deception he has practiced for years
because when he was 4 young boy
she dressed him in girls clothing. She
said that several times he had at
he had become so accustomed to his
/. feminine role that he found il i'm
= possible ..--.-
Always Discreet.
- 81 challenge any one in East Cor
anth to show that he has ever been
guilty Of the slightest indiscretion.
r even in word" said Mrs. Norton of
: her husband today. His character is
a Christian and blameIess. I know what
: the people here, especially the women,
are saying: ITO think that that man
was among our daughters at school
and church affairs" But he has never
, violated the confidence of any person
and he is perfectly. honorable
1 am a teacher in the East Corinth
: Academy, and Mr.. Norton was one of
! my pupils. Ny motto is to fail in love
: with my pupils the first day of school
: and never to fall out of love with
: Them. / was fond of him, thinking he
. was girl He boarded at my house
: and did the chores among the farmers
a Three days before school closed last
June he came TO me and told me he
was man. Then last week we filed
our marriage Intentions, and now we
are married.
Girls Knew He shaved.
when did you fall in love with
him." the bride was asked.
Wen, / don't think that Is any of
the public's business" -sr s=---
On the day after Norton and Miss
Foster filed their marriage Intentions
the former created a near riot in the
village street by appearing IN a mans
suit. His hair, formerly long ana
done UP in knot at the back of his
head, was cut short. 1t was OF finer
: texture apparently than that Of most
young men. His hands were softer and
whittier than the average masculine
hands. Norton is still i'll at ease in
his male attire. and continues to sit
& and walk with feminine grace.
East COrinth girls say now that they
have always known Cora was queer"
They knew, they declare, that Norton
E shaved during the time they thought
3 him Of their own sex. His deep. mas
sculine voice often startled them But
despite all this ii is likely that he
never, never would have got into diff
ficulties with the draft board II he
just hadn't fallen in love with ais
- teacher.