Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 May 1882 — A WONDERFUL METAMORPHIS. [ARTICLE]

A WONDERFUL METAMORPHIS.

V*wh«4 for *7 “*««»>* Mirth ■ru” mt Brie, «**■ “Jr* *•■»»- H«w -Rmr r»*r" SfCMM “llurta. 7*mr.” The Buffalo Courier publishes the following remarkable story sent by a correspondent at Erie, Pa.: The following remarkable story is vouched for by eight reliable citizens of this city : William P. Baxter is a farmer, and has for many years owned a large farm situated between North East, Pa., and Bipley, N. Y. He is frequently in this city, where he is well known. Near to the Baxter farm there lives a family by the name of Fear, highly respected by their neighbors. About twenty-five years ago there was born in this family a girl, a sweet little cherub that became the pet of the neighborhood. They named her Rosa, and she grew np a lovely child, and in due time was sent to school. Here she distinguished herself by most extraordinary precocity. Her aptitude exceeded that of scholars ten years older than herself, and in less than two years she had passed every other pupil and stood at the head oP*her classes, the holder of all the honors competed for. At the age of fourteen she entered the service of Mrs. Baxter, the first wife of the farmer referred to. Eosa proved to be as good a girl for farm-house duties as she had been a student, and the Baxter family liked her so well that she was treated in every respeot as though she was one of the family. She continued to live there, and when she had attained the age of eighteen her hand was sought in marriage by a young farmer from a neighboring village. For some reason, unaccountable at that time to her friends, Miss Fear declined the honorable offer, alleging that she had no desire to quit the roof of her kind friends. About this time it began to be noticed that Eosa’s features were losing their feminine softness, and that the effeminate contour of her hitherto symmetrical form was vanishing, and giving place to masculine angularity. Her hands that were onee so well shaped began to grow large and coarse, and a down appeared on her upper lip. The presence of the latter greatly distressed her, and as it continued to grow in spite of all her efforts to prevent it, she became so ashamed that she refused to accompany the Baxters to the family pew in the village church, or to mingle in any of the socials or parties in which she had once been a courted belle. The family while deeply regretting the loss of. Bosa’s personal attractions, tried to laugh her out of her sensitiveness. But the girl appeared to be consumed with a secret. About six months after this, Bosa did not appear as usual one morning. No answer came from her room, and when it was broken open it was found to have been unoccupied that night. All Bosa’s clothes were hanging up, even to those she was accustomed .to wear about the house. Mr. Baxter sent his son Charles to look in the bam, dreading to enter it himself, for a dreadful suspicion of suicide was uppermost in his thought. But Bosa was not in the barn, neither was she in any part of the farm. At last the searchers found two letters in her trunk, one addressed to Mrs. Baxter, the other to her parents. The contents of Mrs. Baxter’s letter created the utmost consternation. It said that the writer had gone away; that it would be useless to follow her; that her life had become unbearable because within a year nature had worked a complete metamorphosis, unsexing her and making it necessary to change her home and raiment. The astonished Baxters discovered that she had left all her female clothing down to the minutest article, and that she had. attired herself in a suit of clothes belonging to Dr. A. A. Freeman, now an alderman from the First Ward in this city. Dr. Freeman was a yearly visitor at the Baxter farm, and he frequently spends a day there still. He was well acquainted with Miss Fear when she was little Bosa, and lie often saw her when she lived with the Baxters. He had been visiting there a week before the girl disappeared, and had left a suit of clothes benind him by mistake. Two months passed and a letter oame in Eosa’s fine hand-writing. It informed the family that the writer was well and was working as a farm hand in Ohio, but that the stamp of the letter would give no clue to her address.

Two years elapsed, and one morning a fine-looking young man with sun-burned face, magnificent beard and heavy, dark mustache, stood at the gate of the Fear homestead. “ Do you know me, Mary ?” he said to the young lady who came out to ascertain his business. The tones were deep and manly and there was a familiar ring in the stranger’s voice. “It is Rosa,” said the girl, and the next moment the spectators were regaled with a Bight of Miss Mary Fear clasped in the arms of a young fellow, giving back as many kisses on his mustache as he showered upon her uplifted face. “Not Rosa, but Charles Fear now.” said the whilom housemaid, and then he told them how, after that wonderful change, he had hired as male help; that he had made a little money and had come homo to work the farm. Mr. Charles Fear ruus that farm today, and Ripley has no citizen held in higher estimation than he. Since his return he lias twice been appointed a teacher in tho public schools, and he can be seen on the Fear farm every day of the w r eek. Such is the remarkable story told to the Courier correspondent. The references given were hunted up, and although there was a reluctanoe to speak about it, all confirmed the story. Dr.. Freeman was called upon regarding the suit of clothes, and he confirmed the account, stating also that he was acquainted with all the circumstances related. He further stated that in his opinion nature was undecided as to Fear’s sex, and at the age mentioned masculinity developed.