"YOUNG MAN" GIRL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14507, 22 October 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

"YOUNG MAN" GIRL.

MASQUERADE IN AUSTRALIA.

FILLED MANY ROLES.

Another remarkable story of a young woman who successfully passed herself off as a man comes from Australia. Tho heroin© of the adventure is Miss Margaret Bale, aged 25, a native of Colchester, Essex, and daughter* of a retired' major of a West Indian regiment.

She left England for Australia a few years ago, and until tho middle of December last was employed as a school teacher at Kalgonrlie. She was regarded as a most accomplished young woman. She knew several languages, was a skilful pianist and mandolinist, and sang with some ability. After completing three years at the school alio announced her intention of going to Perth, with tho object of returning to England to comfort her mother then on her death-bed. She left Kalgoorlie. with £100 in her possession and booked her passage home by one of the White Star steamers. While awaiting the departure of tho boat she took up her residence in the environs of the city in an establishment devoted to charity and religion. Three days before Christmas she announced her intention of going out to purchase a quantity of clothing for her voyage, and she went out with about. £40 in her possession. She failed to return, and many were the speculations as to her fate. After a prolonged search both in Australia and in England, the mystery of her disappearance was cleared up on August 4 last. Sho was tracked down to Fremantle, West Australia, where the authorities discovered that for some months she had discarded tho garb of her sex, masqueraded as a man, and followed male occupations. It was ascertained that Miss Bale went into a clothing store in Perth, and purchased a, suit of hoy's clothing and a pair of boy's boots. She. was wearing at the time a soft tweed hat, which could be readily adapted. ('U)TIIKS BURIED ON' SEA-SUCRE. Sho afterwards joined the train at West Perth, and left it at Cotteslo© Beach to have her hair cut short. She next scrambled down tho rocks on to the beach, changed into masculine garments, and buried some of her discarded clothes in tho sands. The remainder she packed into a parcel and sent through the post to a charitable institution. Miss Bale then began her new career as a man. The disguise was complete, and no one would have suspected the refined young lady on seeing the well-groomed "young man'' with hair parted in the centre, and neck gear of tho latest style. She found employment at a paper-bag factory, but, soon tiring of this monotonous occupation, "Martin Able"—as Miss Bale called herself —-secured a temporary position in the Fremantle office of the Australian National Liberal league. She took an active part in the Federal elections, and joined in the openair campaign. Her next move was to act as steward at the Fremantle Club, and her aristocratic bearing and geniality won her much popularity among the club members, some of whom were confident that their steward was none other than the scion of an ancient British house. The stewardship lasted but a brief period. Answering an advertisement, Miss Bale obtained a. post jus " strong boy and cellarman " at the Oddfellows' Hotel. This adventure was a failure, so lie young woman started business on her own account. ' A shop was hired, and stocked with picture postcards and stationery. Custom was not brisk, however, the establishment was shut, and Miss Bale vanished once more. Meanwhile, her relatives had become alarmed that she did not return to England, and exhaustive inquiries were made. A portrait of tho young lady was recognised by a shop assistant at Fremantle, who, adopting the device of the captain of the Montrose in the Crinpen ease, encircled the head and neck with a. pieco of paper, and became convinced that the woman was none other than the smart young tradesman of the picture postcard shop. The authorities were informed, and Miss Hale was traced to a chocolate factory in the town, where she was employed as a clerk in the countinghouse. ARTIST IN M.YKE-Ur. In an interview the young woman exclaimed : '"1 wish to be known in future as plain Miss Bale. A quiet, retired life is the one for me. It was no desire for notoriety that prompted mo to play the part. 1 did. 1 have my own reasons, but they are no concern of the public's. -Suffice it to say that ] am not ashamed of my conduct, but now that my identify has been disclosed I have no wish to resume my career as a ' man.' That, chapter of my life is finished.'' Several stories are told of Miss Bale's vivacity and skill in the art of make-up. One is typical. Two years ago she contracted typhoid fever, and became an inmate of the Kalgoorlio Hospital. On April 1 she played Jin " all fools' day" joke on tho matron by "making up" a nurse to look like an old and ugly female, blackening her eyebrows and powdering her face and hair. The handiwork would have done credit to tho professional " maker-up "of a London theatre. She borrowed a. pair of spectacles, arid thus disguised the nurse was introduced by Miss Bale to the matron as an old lady who had come " all the way from Koolgardie.' 7 When the matron found out sho laughed as heartily as anyone. Major Bale, the father of Miss Bale, is one of the most highly respected residents of Colchester. For many years ho has lived there, lit* is widely known as a clever artist, and he has produced a number of pictures of local scenes and buildings which form a useful link with the past history of the borough.