The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-10-18
SCI Don't Know where We are to sleep
TO-Night.0

1O~NlEhtsW
II was one OF two women who spoke.
The place was one Of tho most public
thoroughfares in the city Of Columbus, in
trent of the Union Block. Time, about ten
o'clock, at night-to be exact, last Thurs.
day night. There were, perhaps, a score
Of people in front Of the Block, walking
hurriedly in differnt directions, one Of whom
heard the words, spoken in weak, wretch
cd voice.
There was no mistakiug the character OF
very lowest grade, dressed in dirty, shabby
clothes, exhaling pestilentisl odors, and
loading the pure moonlight air with the
taint of disease.
The utter sadness aud helplossness Of
the words, the weary and weak tone of the
woman's voice, and the miserable poverty
Of the dress the hurrying Of the other
passers by, some TO happy homes, somt
bent upon having a night of it elsewhere
the gay glancing gaslghts from oper
windows, made q picture Of startling con
trasts-mellow light and sombrs shade
such as seldom breathes from canvas,
Let no one imagine ii is q fancy sketcl
we have penoiled. 1t is Code truth, every
word.
don't knoW ,chere ace dr5 TO sleep TO
night"
The words Jared upon the ear of the un
sentimental person who heard them, with
painful emphasis. If he had heard the
story. as you do, he might have said, i'm
patiently Pshaw, the police will provide
them with their usual lodgings, at tht
calaboosc." But the woman was weak and
| i'll, as her voice showed, And--she was
woman. Absurd as this looks in print, il
is really worth considering.
Is there not something fearfully defec
tive in our social system, when weak wo
men degraded outcasts by their own act
il you will--degraded outcasts by the
fault of society, it may be--but degraded
outcasts still-go about our streets at night
not knowing where to lay their heads2 I,
say nothing Of the moral malaria bred by
such creatures, the temptation to crime
the unsafety of life aud property, and al
the unnauahl6 ills which society suffer,
from them, is il not shameful coafessor
that no provision is made in this Christian
community for the rescue and care OF thesI
poor erring creatures, for tho sake OF divine
womanhood, degraded and outraged in thei
persons?
How many Of these poor creatures, liv'
ing life of loathing and shame, have beer
tendery nurlured in their grlhood |,
there one among them all who has gone
| open-eyed aud shumelessly into the hell
leading mode of life which they have bcel
drawn intoY Let us not SO far misjudg,
the purity Of woman nature. is there want
of honest employment for women? lie
ahy householder consult his or her expert
euce. Where then is the fault Look up
on your streets-nay, look to your Owl
households--see idle, reckless young men
loa6ng at ease rpon the corners, fostering
with the moral pollution begotten of idle
ness, preying upon man and womankind
How much better are they than the Sod
omitesH What inscrutable Providenc,
clothes them like the lilies. while hones
toll goes bare.backed How many som
Of luxury prey upon female innocence an(
virtue, to bo rewarded with tho smiles o
"sooiety" now, and the love OF your limo
cent daughters hereafterY Who closes
his door against the gay yonth who hat
only conquered young person OF thu
chambermaid persuasion? Gallant fellow
But what yirtuous Indignation is pOureC
out upon the head of The chambermaid
Serves her right-she had no business L
be woman-to believe oaths-to hav,
faith in man. Let her be turned into QUITE
darkness. If sho afterward preys upol
men, there is some compensation in that
Society iS impotent to protect her or he
victims. The chief end Of society is l.
glorify dollars, and enjoy them forever
What has society to do with the objection
able young person p Ohio State Journal