Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-01-28


When cleaving love and human interest bind
The broken force of her aspiring mind ?-YoUNa,
Man though he sink ever SO low, may reform
and be resorted TO respectfully, but woman
once fallen can never rise. Purity is her being
it departed, her existence ceases, The
creature remains-but not the woman. She
may repent, and Heaven will forgive, but So
ciety will not forget, nor can she forgive her
self life of shame is ineyitable-not from
any undue severity of the social code, but from
the nature of her being Hence it is that so
few efforts are made to reclaim degraded fe-
males. But is society thus absolved from its
obligations! If the fallen cannot be reformed
may not that darling regulation of our religious
community which ia urging thousands more
into the same frightfuI torrent of ruin, be mod
flied We have implied severe charge
1t shall not remain ambiguous. We would att
once announce its import, but willie we search
for words to express it, WANT, that fell worker
of inqnty, with hdeous grin, points his skeleton
finger to our bosom, saying, The one who so
finely stitched that garment, have driven TO
desperation, crime, and ruinW But did we not
pay all that was asked for III? Yes, but it
was not sufficient to cause her to be rewarded
for the two long days labor she gave it. Count
its fire stitches and multiply them by thousand
times their number, and know, their product is
but unit in the number Of tears | wrung from
her aching eyes, ere she ceased to watch the
needles point for life"
Gentle reader, do you doubt the words of our
unwelcome accuser! If so, 60 with US and you
shall be convinced;-nay, take brother with
you, 60 at midnigh start not, the scene is all
Of vlrtue--go to that humble dwelling less than
three squares from your own,-the sign upon
the door points it out, Inquire of the poor
widow for seamstress there is one at your
service. Leave your brother in the treess par
lor, and go with the pale young stranger to her
room, she will not object, for it is scrupulousy
neat. There lies vest nearly finished; an hour
will complete 1t and entite the maker to fifty
cents from her employer. She has already spent
thirtv-six hours upon it; and at the same rate
eighteen hours and half Of nty-Hour-she
can make .hree in week, for which she re-
ceiyes one dollar and fifty cents. In the mean
time, she pays the poor widow one dollar tor
board and twenty-five cents for rent, leaving
twenty-five cents for clothing aud luxuries. If
she lose no time and have no doctors bill to
pay, she can live and enjoy the Injuries of thlr-
teen dollars worth of clothing and other articles
year All this you learn from her. She has
made the calculation hundred times, hesltl-
ting in doubt whether to despair or 60 on re-
i peating the same tedious task, with no hope Of
relief and no friend to cheer her. The few
tears of anguish that roll down her hollow cheek
seem the last drops Of drained fountain; but
speak kind word to her, aud the full lount Of
affection will pour forth its first obaton upon
| the altar of gratitude, 1t is the first accent Of
disnterested friendship that ever fell upon hel
| ear Her heart pulsates strangely anew, anC
she pours out her soul in unbroken thanks Re
solving to give her speedy relief, you promise tt
f see her again, and bid her goodnight.
Three weeks Of uninterrupted pleasure and
) gay occupations have passed, and you recollec
the sad-hearted seamstress, You again visit the
little dwelling and inquire for her. But she is
$ not there, nor can any one tell where she IS
, Her departure was sudden and strange Nc
friend has searched for her she has none to
: search Grieved that you did not go sooner
you return bordering upon the probable fate o.
The unfortunate girl.
Years have passed, when you meet wretch
ed female, who calls YOU by name, begging but
a penny to purchase bread. She was once the
! grieEpae seamstress, hut is now an infamous
outcast wretchedness and disease have wasted
her once beautiful form to a frightful skeleton
/. and her heart recos from your glance, while
her hand reaches for your charity You inquire
the cause of her sudden departure from the
E place where you first found her. The wretci
: wceps and departs When Heaven shall unbot'
: tie the tears Of her innocence, let we story
be told; we will not believe it from the lips oil
/, crime.
, Thus thousands have fallen-fallen! nay, haV'
n been crushed-and yet the mighty engine IS roi
n ling It's ponderous mass over the helpless II
e make ones heart bleed to behold the poor friend
less girl going from door to door, begging 70
y employment, yet turned shelteress from each
E because her qualifications are not suited to TIT