Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1883 — The Huckelberry Queen [ARTICLE]

The Huckelberry Queen

The Goshen Democrat has read “Nina Varian” and sends back the following: “The Valparaiso Messenger published a story last week entitled “Nina Varian, the Wild Woman of the Kankakee.” It is supposed to be the maiden name of the “Huckelberry Queen,” who infested those swamps down there for the last few years and created such a terror among the roughs who visited the marsh through the huckelberry season. It seems from the story that .the “Huckelberry Queen” had been seduced by a young scoundrel in Valparaiso some years ago, and her father shot him because he hesitated about marrying her. The girl forgave her seducer, but the shame was so great that she went crazy over it, and took to the marsh, where fche has lived for a number of years, a terror to all who crossed her path.—“ Val paraiso Messenger. ’ ’

Drowned at , Kingman:—J. S. Hurst, an adopted son of F. M. Parker, of Barkley tp., and a nephew of Allen Catt, and George M. Robinson of Rensselaer, and of P. H. Lally of Remington, and well known in both places, was drowned while bathing in the mill pond at Kingman, Kansas, on Wednesday evening, July 25th. He was . a promising young man about twenty-two years old. He ■went to Kansas from this place last September.