The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-25
A Wsrning to Girls and their Parents.
A Varied and Interesting Cor
respondence.

Girls seemingly get into great deal OF trouble
and generally Of their own free viii and accord as
will be fully displayed by the following intensely en-
tertaining not to say interesting correspondence.
Here ind that gay Lothario, with a fair amount
of cheek mingled with considerable confidence
goes into the advertising columns Of how many
newspapers we can't undertake to say and adyer-
tises that he wants wife, giving at the same time
minute description of the young lady that win suit
him, together with such other personal" matter as
will lead those who read his advertisement into q
perfect knowledge OF the writer himself he makes
himself appear in public. That the gentleman is
successful in securing the correspondence IL notthe
acquaintance and confidence, OF O number OF silly
minded girls, there can scarcely be no reasonable
doubt for of the letters which present eur
suboined collection betray sincerity to be at once
deplored and wondered at. Here we find the young
miss who has just returned from the fashionable
boarding school and donned long dresses, seizing
the opportunity TO make the acquaintance OF some
unknown adventurer, not that she thinks that any
harm will ever come OF the matter but because
her love of little ''nnocent fun" leads her to take
step which she may regret all her life She consoles
herself that she is far away from the Lothari0 with
whsm she is corresponding, and dsmsses all IDEAS
OF wrong with the thought that she has given ctl-
| tious name ana that she will drop the whole affair
| when she shall have developed her correspondents
and had little fun at his expense. Poor child how
often is she the victm Let the annals OF courts
| and the sean. mag Of fashionable society give the
| answer.
Others besides the "innocents" indulge in the
| amusement OF writing to Lotharios. Some OF them
| betray a quickness and shrewdness that would
naturally lead to suppose that they would be
clear Of indulglng in apy such undertaking; but,
alas they frequently presume on their shrewdness,
apparently forgetting that the man who adverses are
no doubt cunning as they, and frequently cOnsi-
derably The natural curiosity OF the young
| ladies also lends its aid ia prompting au indul-
gence in answering the anonymous cOrrespon-
dent, and as samples of searching curiosity and
ingenuity some OF these letters will bear critical
| examination.
on the other hand, we and specimens OF those fair
creatures who, confident OF their own power and
familiar with the workings of that class of people
who would be most apt to go into a newspaper for
the purpose of finding wife, enter into the fun
with the avidity OF old sportSnen, without fear OF
the consequences which may befal them, and even-
tualy console themselves with the idea that, at any
rate 1t can make no particular difference to them,
as their wealth and position in society render them
invulnerable so far the tongue OF gossip is con-
| cerned. They are high-toned, highly respectable
! young ladies' Their fathers number among the
| leading men OF the day, and perching themselves
upon the pedestal OF their greatness and shell
tered behind the curtain OF respectabillty they in
dulge in the sports and pastlmes as their more
| plebeian neighbors, and for which they are ever
ready and willing to hold all others, save themselves
up ridicule and Instructed in the classics
to the utter absence of anything useful, they prostl-
tute their learning to base purposes, and as some
OF our collection will show, ready and willing to
| truckle to their despicable curiosity at the risk
OF bringing disgrace and shame upon all Of their
name.
But there among those who have chosen to
answer this gay LOtharios personal those who are
entitled TO our keenest sympathy and absolute pity.
One in particular has attracted attention. The
paper upon which the note is written Is of the COM
monest description. The envelope bears no initial
stamped upon its back as do most OF the others the
sweet perfume and delicate traces of the fashionable
and wellkept bOudOr absent but the chirOgraphy
is plain exquiscly neat and beautiful In every par
ticuar. She tells the story of the poor, badly-pad
working girl Reared, perhaps, in the lap OF luxury
poverty has driven her step by step down the hin OF
adversely, until we find her on the brink OF shame
and ruin Maddened by the straits OF poverty
crowded into sphere far below her deserts by the
innexible rules OF society goaded by the pains and
prlvations forced upon her by the cruel system OF
paying for woman's labor far below what it is worth
she stands according TO her own showing, ready to
sacrifice herself the altar OF degradation, that
she may present herself TO the world In such dress as
shall give her status among those who value human
being for the exterior and who seldom take the pains
to look below the surface. Few ideas herein ex-
pressed derived from the letters, as they have
fallen into our hands, but have not overdrawn the
picture. TOO much Of it is indeed true!
The letters that will no doubt excite the greatest
attention those whose chirography is really
stunning" and whose photography may be set
down as specimen 'brlcks" But what Is still more
wonderful than the writing spelling is the fact
set forth in two OF the epstles that writer
has a good education One more plays "aiagnii-
Gently" on the "pianer," and, without exception,
all dress in the highest style OF the art and when
seen on the street the ball would be apt to
set down as numbering among the beau monde.
final word TO young ladies and their parents
Girls we have kept your names out of print, not
that we value your incog." (sOme of you sailing
under your own proper names) but because hope
that this ventilation Of your "fun" will serve to
teach you the utter mpropriety of your line OF con-
duct and stay your hand when again your curiosity
or love OF fun shall prompt you to answer an anony-
nous correspondent Further, the man who adver-
tises for wife or orcorresponden both mean the same
thing when properly construed) is seldom, II ever,
the kind OF man to make home agreeable or wire
happy. He is usually some needy adventurer, VINO
has neither caste nor character TO recommend him;
and when YOU cultivate his acquaintance you Ger
tainly have no good reason to complain II you are
cruelty deceived and made to blush at your own
shame.
Parents to you most especially would we c0m-
mend the perusal OF this correspondence. 1t may
call 10 your attention few idiosynoracies which
need correcting and bring to your mind more vvidly
the necessity OF guarding well your chnd ere she ap-
proaches the brink OF the precipice, tumble from
which leads to certain destruction.
II can be OF no particular interest to anybody 70
lCsntiaued on he Ssesad Rsel