A FAIR STOWAWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3001, 20 February 1926, Page 4

A FAIR STOWAWAY.

ROUGH ORDEAL AT SEA

HIDDEN BY HER HUSBAND

BETRAYAL BY SICKNESS

More like a chapter from fiction i ban an incident in real life is the amazing story told by a girl stowaway who lias just landed at Liverpool’ after a voyage halfway round (he globe. Dressed as a hoy, the girl was smuggled on hoard a ship at Salford Docks by a man who had taken her to what lie said was a register office and had gone through a form of marriage with her.

She would probably have reached America without being detected but for the fact that .she became so ill with seasickness that her lover decided to inform the captain of her presence. She was taken to the ship’s doctor for treatment and then the, secret of her sex was discovered. Tall and fair, and of exceedingly good address, she left her home in the Midlands in the early summer to take a seaside engagement as a waitress in a fashionable restaurant in Southport. Unhappily, Impersonal charms marked her out for the prey of a man who had crossed her path at Southport. They met frequently and in due course the girl confessed that the ambition of her life was to go to America and pay a visit to her aunt. This was the opportunity of which her companion look advantage. “Marry me,’’ he said. “You can then come with me on my ship and we will go and see your aunt together.” Captivated by the idea the girl fell in with the proposal. The man, who was a steward oil board an American freighter assured her lie would have no difficulty in smuggling her on board, hiding her away and in between his duties ministering personally to her comfort and happiness. Arrangements were made to meet in Manchester, the young steward promising to take her to a register office where they could be married before they boarded the ship.

The girl duly arrived in Manchester and her lover was waiting for her. She was taken to a place which she believed to be a register office and there a ceremony was gone through. Then iu darkness of the night

the man escorted bis bride to the Salford Dock, having previously, for the purpose of deceiving outside watchers, provided her with a boy’s outfit. With her bobbed hair she was able to play the part with comfort and little fear of detection. She passed up thp gangway and entered her hiding place, where she was prepared to spend her time in concealment until America was reached.

Next day the ship left, the presence of the girl nol being suspected by any of the crew of 42. It is conceivable that she would have reached America in due course had it not been for the tempestuous weather that was encountered. The ship rolled and pitched in the heavy sea and a state of terror into which ffie poor girl was thrown was succeeded by a terrible bout of seasickness. Her husband, genuinely distressed at her plight, sensibly decided to acquaint the captain of her presence in order that she might receive medical care. When the captain was brought to (lie hiding place and saw Hie wretched hoy-girl huddled up and moaning piteously, his compassion was aroused. He decided that the “lad ’ should be given comfort instead of imprisonment. Thus it came about that, when the doctor was brought to “him” that tbe unhappy stowaway confessed her real sex. The ship happened to be making an indirect route for America and, the first call being tbe West Indies, the girl was put ashore there and later sent home. Her supposed husband left the ship and has disappeared.