The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-09-07
Che Gastaliau :fnnnt.
ONE MORE UNroRruNArE.

The lamps are lighted, the streets are full,
For, coming and going, like waves Of the sea.
Thousands are out this beautiful night;
They jOstle each other, but shrink from me
Men hurry by with stealthy glance,
Women pass with their eye cast down;
Even the children seem to Know
The shameless girl Of the towni
Hated and Stunned, I walk the street,
Huntingdon what2 For my prey, It's said
| look at ii, though, in a different light,
For this nightly shame is my daily bread
Ny food, my shelter. the clothes wearl
Only for this might starve or drown;
The world has disOwued me, what eau do,
But live aud die on the town.
The world Is cruel. II might be right
To crush the harlot; but grant it so.
What made her the guilty thing she is 7
For she was innocent once, you know;
Twas love that terrible word tells all
She loved man, aud blindly believed
His VOWS, his kisses, his crocodile tears
OF course the fool was deceived
What had | TO gain by moments sin,
=. To weigh in the scale with my innocent years,
Ny womanly shame, my ruined name,
My fathers curses, NV mothers tears 7
The love of man! 1t was something to give,
Was it worth iii The price was soul paid
down,
Did get soul, Gis soul in exchanged
Behold me here on the town
"Your guilt was heavy" the world will say,
"And heavy, heavy your doom must be
For to pity and pardon woman's fall,
Is to set no value on chastity
You undervalue the Virgins crown,
The spotless honor that makes her dear"
But ought to know what the bauble is worth,
When the loss of it brings me here
But pity, and pardon Who are you,
To talk of pardon, pity to me
What | ask is Justice, Justice sir
Let both be punished, or both go free.
Ii It be in woman a shameful thing,
What is it in manF Now, come be just.
Remember, she falls through her love for him.
He through his selfish lust y
Tell mo what is done to the wretch
Who tempts and riots in woman's fall?
His father curses, and casts him off
Eis friends forsake? He is scorned of all
Not he; his judges are men like himself,
Or thOughtless women. who humOr their whim
"Young blood -" wild oats Better hush it up.
They soon forget it-in him
Even his mother who ought to know
The woman nature, and how it is won,
Frames thousand excuses for him,
Because, forsOoth, the man is her soni
You have daughters, Madame, he told me so,)
Fair, innocent daughters-women, what then ?
Some mother may have son like yours
Bid them beware of men
saw his coach in the street to-day,
Dashing along on the sunny side,
With liveried driver on the box
Lolling back in her listless pride,
The wife of his bosom took the air;
She was bought in the mart where hearts were
sold;
l gave myself away for his love,
She sold herself for his gold
BE lives, they say, in princely way,
Flattered and feasted. One dark night,
Some devil led me to pass this house;
saw the windows a blaze of light
The music whired in a maddening round,
heard the fall of the dancers feet;
Bitter, bitter the thoughts | had
PlodIing there in the street
Back to my gaudy den l went,
Marched to my room in grim despair
Dried my eyes, painted my checks,
Aud fixed flower or two in my hair
Corks were popping, wine was flowing,
seized bumper and tossed il down
One must do something to kill the time,
And fit ones self for the townl
meet his boy in the park sometimes,
And my heart runs over toward the child
frank little fellow, with fearless eyes,
He smiles at me his father smiled
hate the man, but love the boy,
For think what my own, had he lived, would
Perhaps it is he, come back from the death
To his father, alas not to me
But stand too long in the shadow here,
Let me out in the light again,
Now for insult, blows perhaps,
And bittercr stll-my own dsdain,
take my place in the crowd of men,
Not like the simple women see;
You may cheat them as much as you please,
You wear no masks with me
I know ye Under your honeyed words
There turks serpent Your oaths are lies
There's lustful fire in your hungry hearts,
! see it flaming up in your eyes!
Cling to them. ladies, and shrink from me,
Or rail at my boldness-well have you done
Madam, your husband knows me we'll
Mother, knew your SON
But go your ways, and I'll go mine;
Call me opprobrious names, if you will,
The truth is bitter, think | have lied
Z" A harlotr Yes But a woman still!
God said of old to a woman like me,
I" Go, sin no more," the Bibles lie;
But you, you mangle his merciful words
To" Go, and sin till you dep
Die ! the word has a pleasant sound,
The sweetest I've heard this many year;
1t seems to promise end to pain,
Anyway, it will end there
Suppose throw myself in the street?
Before the horses could trample me down,
Some would-be friend might snatch me up,
And thrust me back on the town
But look, the river From where stand
l see it, | almost hear it flow:
Down on the dark and lonely pier
1t is but step-I can end my woe
A plunge, splash, and all will be Ger,
The death black waters will drag me down;
God knows to where But no matter where,