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


necessary to render fast woman's career
successful enter upon fast woman's life
She comes to US after an apprenticeship in
Boston and Philadelphia, and she probably
went to those cities from the country long
ago. But no one city, not even New York,
can detain her long. Her genus travels
from spot to spot. A placer failing them in
Boston they 60 "prospecting" to other towns.
From the Revere, where their last engage.
ment was "played OUT they come to the St.
Nicholas to see "what they can make" And
in the summer they come in throngs from
one watering place to another. Generally
two or three unite their forces for Summer
campaign. Not unfrequently one accompa-
nies genteel looking sporting man as hi,
sister, while two others figure as cousins or
family friends. Together they are formid.
able set
Mysterious as are the fast woman's ante
cedents, her presence except in the assumed
Summer disguise referred to are still more
so. She comes to the respectable private
boarding house almost always as married
woman. Unfortunately her husbands bust
ness is of a nature that keeps him travelling.
lie is collector and general agent for some
commercial firm, or he is engaged in buying
flour at the West, or he is sojourning in Eu-
rope. The California story of the husband
in successful San Francisco business, and of
remittances always expected, is about PLAYED
out. The sobriquet of california widow
provokes suspicion at the outset Not few
fast women hunt in ouples-one who has
passed through years Of atrocious experience
unlte> her witness to the beauty of another
new to the trade, and the two, as mother and
daughter, or more frequently aunt and niece,
easily locate themselves in any boarding
house they choose.
Once settled down in new place, the fast
womans method is simple. 1t is true that
she alternates through life between stages of
mdgniticehce and squalor. Rarely saving
her extortIonate gains, she is frequently una
ble to pay her board, or buy her clothing
when fairly shaken off byan outraged victim.
But suppose her in funds and just arrived on
new ground. She has her qualities to begin
with. She is woman Of passion, is hand
some, dresses with the usual good or bad
taste Of moneyed American females, sings a
little, plays little, dances a great deal, is
quiet and behaves herself But Mesdames
Boarding house keepers, you can always tell
her by one sign. Before she has been with
You week she will be acquainted with eve
ry man in the house who is open to attack
be he lawyer, broker, merchant or merchant's
clerk-and will know very few if any of your
lady inmates. The latter. with their finer fe-
male instincts will find out, at any rate to
their own satisfaction. BY and by perhaps,
though very quiet and companlonless at first
she will have many gentlemen visitors. Per
haps YOU will then recollect that when she
applied tor board. she referred you only to
gentlemen-and highly respectable gentle
men they were too-for information as to her
means and character. Now if all these things
are in combination, you may be wrongng an
innocent female in doing what we say YOU
have right to do-that is in strongly sus-
pecting your fascinating and unprotected la
dy boarder to be fast woman, and in keep.
ing very close watch upon her movements
in expecting sooner or later, to hear of her
fastening herself upon some fellow with more
money than brains-to hear of her living in
great splendor at some hotel-to hear of her
name yiel y exposed in connection with some
case of fraud and dissipation-to hear sooner
or later-of an evil ending and an uncared
for grave.
Much remains to say, but we must quit the
subject. If the fast woman lives through all
her reckless dissipation, through all of the
sloushs she is ever in from the vengeance O,
desperation of her victims, to a period pas,
the bloom of youth, when she can of herself
ruin men no longer, she may still gain vile
subsistence by linking her fortunes as has
been said above, to those of some Younger
adventures. Or she may degenerate to the
keepership Of some house supported by the
lusts of men. But in the one case or the
other, it is fearful retribution that the fas,
woman incurs for the brief triumphs of &
prohigate youth.
o. From the windows of the Journal of
fee, We have a view of four cities and three
States, to wit States, Iowa, Illinois, ane
Mlssouri-ci,ies, keokuk, Hamilton, War
saw and Alexandria, Were it not for thu
forest trees which crown the bluffs on the op
posite side of the river, the view of Illinois
would be unobstructeC as far as the eye coult
reach. As it is, farm houses and cottage!
are discernble for miles distant, and glittel
like gems in the dazzling ight.-Keokul
Iowu) journal.
An AFTER-CLAP-Th New York Tribun,
prints the following private correspondence,
which appears to be ramlhcatlon of tina
, important division among Republicans, of
which our Democratic friends are So fond of