The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-06-15
The New York Fast Woman.

Among the Swarms of male and female ad-
venturers Who lead lives of compact subtlety
and recklessness, and are drawn to great cit
les by love Of luxury ard b! the surer field
there afforded for campaign against society
at large, the most subtle and dangerous of all
would Seem to be that adventurist-th mod
ern fast woman. Her prototype existed ages
since, as long ago as when Samson bartered
with Delllah, or later, when "Iha.s like an
other Helen, fired another Troy" You can
trace her down to later times through all his
torica fact and fiction, finding her likeness
IN many comedy Ct Moliere, in many a nov
el OF Fielding OF print of William Hoyar,h.
But 1t is III the exciting and fortune making
modern American lite that she has more fully
developed her operations, gaining at pleas
ure, the entree to our chansetul and not over
scrupulous upper circles, and have her wick
ed Say about half Of our real life tragedy and
farce.
Here was the body of a murdered woman
found floating in the Jersey City docks about
a month since. Her head preserved in spir-
lis. after days of mystery, is at last identified
by men to whom more than the passing
crowd, it must seem dreadful sight. For
those features, now foul and ghastly enough
to be sure, not long ago were portion of
their several daily li,cs-not long ago those
eyes now staring through muddy impurity,
looked with tire semblance OF love into their
own. For She was the lawful wife of one,
whom she deserted to lead the dashing life
OF an American fast woman. Becoming ac-
compished in this life she seized the other
in her tolls took charge of his body, char
acter and purse, de5auched the first, becioud-
ed the second, scattered recklessly the
contents of the third. She shifted her abode
we are told from place to place. She lived
at her victims expense successivey V at the
Brandreth House, at the ST. Dennis Hotel
at Doctors in Astor place, at the st. Ju-
lien Hotel, at the Lafarge House, at more
than one private boarding house All this
within two years. And when her provider
saw through the tiimsy veil of her affection
for him.she still maintained her extravaganza
playing upon his terror Of exposure as skill
fully as she had before played upon his yield
ing folly. She spent $4,000 of this one
mans money in two years. During all this
victims. How many she has ruined lie only
knows who has at last called her to her &C
count. Such was the life, and such the enc
of one modern fast woman Well NIGH
the man we speak of when asked to identity
those shapeless features, do SO at his frs
glance, and shudderingly turn away.
1t is only now and then that the career of
the fast woman is thus impressively set be
fore the public. An act of violence is com
mitted, bank forger ruins his family ant
himself, broker comes to grief, and to th'
story of his wicked excesses there is the in
variable fast woman accompaniment Sh'
does not share the criminals trial and con
viction however, and the worlds interest il
her soon passes by.
But she is everywhere and busily presen
in American cities, and in New York most o
ALL Look for a moment at her method ant
; appearance.
The fast woman is by no means common
hariot. In nine cases out of ten she has new
er walked the streets nor boarded at IA hous
of bad repute Only once in the while on
of the vulgar sisterhood rises by superio
shrewdness and accomplishments to the ranl
of the demi-monde. The fast woman attec,
the private boarding house. But the hote
is the place to which she gains unquestione'
access, where she lives most at her ease AM
. is enabled, in her own language, to bag tn
most game. And it is owing first Of all, t.
, the wretched, cong nglomerate, American hote
system, h,t fast women of late abound il
such numbers, and are so dangerous to soci
| ETY..
There is always mystery hanging abou
/ the fast woman's antecedents. One thing
certain, though found in every New Yorl