Mary East swore to forever remain single after the man that she loved was ripped away from her. She sought comfort from another young girl that had also sworn off men, and they found that comfort in each other. The two connected on a deep level, and they decided to live out the rest of their lives together; they knew it would be impossible as they were both young women, so they decided to change that. After flipping a coin, it was decided that 16-year-old Mary would begin a new life as James How. She dressed and lived as James, and the couple generated an honest living. The pair never let people into their house, “they never kept either maid or boy, but Mary East, the late James How, always used to draw beer, serve, fetch in and carry out pots always herself, so peculiar were they in each particular.” This was difficult, but it allowed them to live the way that they truly wanted. Unfortunately, James was later extorted by a woman named Mrs. B. This woman had known James when he still p...