The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-05-24

Journey. Simmons was going to Chi
cago. Johnny approached him and
asked if he was leaving the boat. he
said he was, and urged the lad to &C
company him home. Johnny was stay
ing on the boat as the speediest route
home. At the thought of the parting
he burst into tears.
"Come with me IN deck" he told
Simmons. IT have something to tell
you in confidence"
In q secluded corner of the deck
Johnny astounded Simmons with his
revelation:
Il am indebted to you more deeply
than YOU can ever imagine. You have
been a kind friend and ~benefactor, and
now that the time has come for us to
part, it would be more than criminal
did 7 not reveal myself to you In my
true character. My disguise IS no longer
necessary for my protection.
IT am a woman!"
After giving way to his great SUI
prise, Simmons said: This accounts
for everything I thought so strangely
reticent, so singularly delicate and re-
fined in your manners"
Johnny then told her story:
She was a native of Tennessee. At
10 she was married, just before the
Civil war. In 1861 her husband espoused
the Union cause. For this he was per-
secuted by relatives and friends, which
served to drive the couple from the
country. They sought a home and for
tune in California. The husband en-
gagged in mining, and failed. He became
discouraged and lost his grip on life.
When their were almost eX-
hausted the wife had urged return to
the old home. The husband staked his
last means at gambling and lost. He
sank himself in intemperance. Natural
ly high spirited and honorably inclined,
his misfortune and dissipation COM
pletely wrecked him. At a mining camp
in the spring of 1866, while intoxicated,
he killed a gambler who stood high in
local favor. Fleeing for his home, he
was shot at and wounded; he killed one
! Of his pursuers. He then fled to q
hiding place in the hills. After she had
spent six days OF anguish and suspense,
the wife learned from a friend that
her husband was at a miners cabin
IS miles back in the mountains, badly
in need of medicine and care. She over
came the friends fear of pursuit by
donning a mans clothing and riding
astride a mule to the cabin.
After weeks of nursing the husband
was able to travel, and the couple
started for the states. To escape dis
covery, a route through the mountains
was selected, traversing California,
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Mon
tana, with a view to securing better
transportation in Montana. Food was
secured at remote ranches and trap
pers' cabins. The husband needed on
slant care, and the young wife alone
had to perform all work. Her appear.
ance became more and that Of q
boy, and she suffered continually from
anguish and fear.
On the Columbia Plains in Washing
ton, far beyond the pursuit of sheriffs,
and nearing the end of the journey, as
they supposed, the husband died. Alone
in the wilderness, hundreds of miles
from a settlement, the bereaved girl
spent two days beside the body of her
husband, hearing no sound but the
howl of wolves and coyotes at night.
On the third day a pack train passed.
The dead man was given a decent
burial, and the wife accompanied the
train to Helena, still preserving her
disguise. After a short rest at Helena
she sold what effects she had and
went to Fort Benton, succeeding by
pure good fortune in persuading Sim
mons and his companions to take her
! aboard their boat.
Johnny" is the only name Simmons
ever gave his disguised lady passenger
in relating the story.
~. ,-orl civ o-a, l., s1orfvad <~o-