Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-12-29


the sick father or the drunken mother,
command the pale aud tender daughter
to 90 out into the streets aud sell herself
for goidi Must IL mot be lite vssssahl,.e
hell itself that begeis such crimes as this
And how dare we wonder and shrug our
shoulders with pious sneer at those among
these unfortunates who do not resistl
Then, too, from out their workshop win.
dows, through the chinks and crannies in
their miserable lodgings, our poor workers
see how gaiy the busy and seeming joyous
world goes on-how every one appears to
have hope in his eye aud elasticity in his
step. Nor can they fail to mark among the
passing throng, many women not more
beautiful than ihemselyes-whom perhaps
they have we'll known as fellow workers.
who go iauniing idly along in gay and cost
ly robes, receiving the slealthy smiles and
admiration Of the lords Of creation, who
follow skulking after till they turn down
some dark corner, aud with the outlay Of a
smile and a seductive word, secure their
victim. They want for nothing they live
in luxury-thair white hands look fair and
delicate from want Of employment their
eyes seem to sparkle with health, and their
forms are rounded and elastic with gener-
Gus fare and absence Ol toll Is il sur.
prising that our poor workers. looking out
from their rags aud sqnalid poverty aud
starvation upon all this, should fnrget (@hat
perhaps they have never been informed Of
the horror, the agony, the despair, the dis
ease, the madness, which are the inevitable
future OF the courtezanl and that too
F.l = II. 4 A
like herl
But we are touching upon somewhat
broader ground than we had intended 10
occupy in these unpretending sketches, and
find ourselves in contact with that great
and terrible question the Causes OF Prosti-
iution-a question which none has yet had
the courage to answer. Our object is sim
ply to present a correct view OF large and
unfortunate class Of females, surrounded
with all the trials and temptations which be-
set them leaving the reader TO draw his
own conclusions. Having done this, with
what little power of pen.Imning we possess,
we will take advantage Of the occasion TO
soIemnly warn young women in the coun.
try against INDUCING for an instant the fatal
desire Of coming TO the City TO seek their
fortunes BY labor. If they could as we
have done, attend day after day the bar OF
the Police Court, or read the secret docket
of the innumerable cases OF heart broken.
ness, desolation aud crime that there appear
or hear from their own lips the history oil
the wretched creatures who people the in
Vulnerable dens Of infamy that abound in
the metropols-ihey would learn this one
frighlful truth: That more than half ih,
prostitutes aud female criminals in the City
came here from the country to earn Twin!
in some honest way, and to crafty an IN
noceni longing for a little female iinery ant
a passion 10 "see the world" The sal
story is ever, ever The same--6rst deslltu
ton, then absolute want and hunger, theI
turned out of doors houseless aud homeless
or offered the dreadful alternative Of pros
ti,ution. Young Woman Lii you are in
deed real Woman and no innate demo-
assuming angelic form Of purity the bette
to carry on helrs work on earih-mark we
our warning Stay calmly where you are
beneath your own pure skies, aud amid III
virtuous freshness Of jour home, no matte
how humble it may be. Work. spin, dig
ill the soil, do anything virluous that wi
earn your .brcad-and mere bread is not S
uery difficult to earn in the country b.
as you value your moral purity and III
welfare of your immortal SOUL come ut
into the City, TO lose yourself in the boi
ing, seeilling cauldron of liceniiousnei
, that RACES forever here. II you have a
U intellect too active TO he satisfied with h
o dull routine Of country life. read and in
prove your mind by study, and improve yol
S heart by contemplation. If you have asp
G raions for the beautiful. surround yourst
y with flowers, aud teach birds and gent
creatures To be your playmaies aud COT
y panions endear yourself to all the lit
v children in the neighborhood - concei
: the grand aud noble ambition, the only OF
o worthy Of Woman's soul, of reuderil
d yourself necessary 10 your fellow creature
e within the nataral reach Of your sphei
u aud Of adding something 10 the beauty
70 this beautiful earth, Of which God has ma
you the brghIes, aud most precious Bile
le ing. Thus may you, poor and hunl
"a though you be, I'll your life with a gem
y joy that shall bring health and happiness
the cheek and eyes, and surround your
rs nocenl pillow with celestial dreams.