New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-11
sHADowS or OUR SOCIAL SYSTEM
y.-MARRIAGE TO THE DEGRADED.

1A.-MARElNGE ~ liE DLNhADIsV.
"Nobody would be willing to marry such girl as
one of us -
There was a mingled, scorn, impotence, and the
triumph of seiiustifcaion in the tones of the young
cirl who uttered these words. She was standing in
d corricor of the Tombs, little apart from twenty
others ielow-prsoners. One, beautiful girl, her
companion and apparently intimate az her coni1ant,
stood near us and L was at her that a part of the
latent spitefulness Of this remark seemed directed
THIS companion had told me that she had an especial
friend, who was willing to support her in quiet
WAY. removed from all evil companionship but his
own; and she frankly stated that she had preferred
the society and the excitement of her late boarding
house to an isolation of character Like this. Now
she professed willingness to 20 with him into deeper
retirement but no amount of persuasion could induce
her to think Of leaving him altogether.
"Why should leave my friend - she asked, with
species Of nayete that shocked me inexpressibly
When reasons were urged for this which she seemed
dimly to comprehend, she grew uneasy aud weakly
pretended that he willing to marry her, but she
herself did not wish to be married.
The other girl had listened TO all this with restrained
restIessnoss / could see there were munous feelings
ranking in her bosom, which she was too proud to
avow; but when she began to converse about herself
and tie conversation had taken the proper bent, she
answered es above:
Nobody would be willing to marry such girl as
one of us, of course not"
Marry them!-surely not Both were more than
ordinarily pretty girls and both young One, at east
could sc Accordingly afectionatei the other was quick
vitted and smar but they were known as abandoned
women. To dream that one of the gentee, gentemanly,
high born. pethorc-pursed or spendthrt visitors at
l;,,. bof think of
is cbildishly preposterous The idolized son Of AL
adoriug mo her 10 marry a town-grl lds soon would
the stors G from Heaven to wed the dandelons of the
earth. A gentleman" marry girl inearcerated i'll
the Tombs And why were they herel The police
bad made descent upon disorderly house and
captured ore Of them The other had difficulty with
Ler landledy, and was charged with theft. Think you
the admirable clerk in the great marblefronted store
would dare 70 wed with etherl No policeman would
presume to lay profane hands upon his ever spotcs'
linen and no less spotess character, and DO landady
would eyor commit him TO prison "upon suspicion"
Clearly, these are abandoned women None bu
abandoned men would be wilr -, mary taem, But
WAe sEo such men They are vasabondsi blcatee,
ragged. filthy within and wihout-men who would as
sumo tie responsibility of their calling ana sell WIGS
chastity with less scrupulousness and with none OF the
issdiousness of these girls who belong to class that
can afford TO wear silk dresses in prison. There
are no other abandoned men but such as the above.
AL Others are honorable gentlemen.
The quck-witted girl told me Of friend Of her own
VITO had orce professed for her great attachment Al
terwnrd be had married heiress and forsaken her.
There was what took to be species OF mock huml
ity in her wey Of relating this She was either attempt
inc 10 deceive me or else deceiving herse- was diff
fcult 70 tell which. Her narrative was keenly satrl-
cal however she intended IL but whether she was
really assuming to adopt the cant hypocrisy Of the
world in her moral distinctions, or whether she was
reckessIy satizing society the reader may help to
determine.
The substance of her remarks as follows
| "Of course he couldn't marry me. I couldn't ex-
rect II. and didn't Yves glad when be chose to lead
better life though to do that be must necessarily
forsake ne. II true | loved him, and be was the
frs cause Of my run, but had not always been true
10 him any more than be had been to me. could not
very well be under the circumstances since be was
not rich enough 20 support NE a. chose 70 be sup
ported and knowing this be forgaye and rather en-
ccuaced my infdefy; but Of course after this, be
could reyer really make me bis lawful wife. No
decent man would marry such a woman, and If /
cared at all for man / would not let him degrade
hirelf 20 much He could not Of course raise me 10
bis own position. Society would ottoerete this, and
| should only drag him down. The only way for my
lover was to marry an innocent iady and forge. me
entirely. For Der sake and for my own sake would
not row receive his love. Il better that lie should
Lose .olt Of NE altogether OF course, | ought 70
have reformed and ed a reputable life again, bat
could Mt have been respectable again. and il cost too
much 20 be good; 80 / am what an, and have not
tie srrhtest thought Of changing, though 70 be sure
! hslf tie tine an mise-aby wrstcheJ. Bat don't
see how it can be belIed. cannot undo the past,
and with such stain on my life there is no hope in
society for ire in the future"
/ Such a statement needs 10 comment. What sd-
vice, reader, would You have given those unhappy
qi.l.l Would you have talked 10 them Of Magds.en,
| Of Jesus. Of Cod Of moral repentance and PuIiy
Well. You might; bu, il would hsve been Fe'y liA'
talking in On unknown tongue and therefore u'' !"
OBLIGATION. They he'd neither inieIectus nor ~'lN
ne,ce,,irs sufficient 20 enable them to grasp the
tIere 20 as 10 find in Il motive powerli enough 70
induce reform. This would require double mifAelei
and God forgive NE for not having iai'h to believe
..cb Ioiracle would be wrought. II bad little
,.;,t ,Ter have less now. They felt practical and
,.roirle difficulties close around them, but they had
rrnb faculties for comPrehending elevated spiritual
svmpaihes or beautiful. distractions Of principles.
Why should that weak girl with her beauty her
embIyotic moral nature, her childish intellect, and