The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-06
A YOUNG FORMOSA.


A Drunknrd and n Mother at Fifteen Yenrs of
Fron, the NeO Orleans Times 2sh Uh
Wandering into the Central Station about
midnight Tuesday, the writer found new
victim on the heightened roll of depravity,
who, under happier auspices, might have de-
served better fate. A voice rising high in
the drunken ribaldry, sounded younger,
fresher, perhaps purer, than the maudlin
accents of its companion; and the figure
stretched on a rough wooden bunk was
frazier and more rounded than the bloated
forms of its ellow-culprits. There was face
whose oval indicated certain degree of re-
spectability, an eye and brow denoting intelli-
gence, q stock of brown hair, disordered
maroon dress, a mingled childishness and
recklessness of manner, CHASTITY blending OF
innocence, ignorance, and depravlty, told
the story who had erred young, and erred
deeply. The error in this case had been drum
kenness, the name of the offender was Louisa
Antonio, and she had reached this grade In
the downward maelstrom after two months
of licentiousness and at the age of fifteen.
AS inebriated women rarely appear at their
best-whether led up by the arm, carted in
on wheelbarrows, or borne along bodily by
the poice-they seldom do else than disgust,
and in hardened cases scarcely succeed In
attracting a passing glance; but to watch a
young and inexperienced girl, ignorant of
even the sensation of drunkenness, with mind
enough to realize her shame, and too un-
skilled in the worlds ways and wickedness to
conceal it, was q sight to sicken the heart of
q stone. To watch the ghastly assumption of
utter depravity, to perceive how miserably
the dismal comedy was enacted, to hear the
outbursts of passionate weeping, the childish
complainings at her wretchedness; to know
that all the infamy, all the horror, all the
earthly damnation and annihilation that could
possibly be heaped on the shoulders of fifty
weighed down a STRIPPING in her earliest blush
and bloom, would have frozen the blood of a
tiend himself. Her story is soon told. There
was mother who neglected her, an
aunt who beat her, life of shame
in the next street, and the door wide
open. Josephine Ray, the negro Charon
on this roaring river of iniquity, occasion
ally boxed her ears, but she gave her
room, and treated her as she thought woman
should be treated Youth and inexperience
are marketable, and this Josephine Ray very
well understood. In the brief career there
were many to see and appreciate her charms,
and at length-God help us that it should be
so-there was one to stir that sinful, mis-
guided soul with the unhallowed joys
of maternity. Dismayed at the thought,
utterly horror-stricken at her own reckless
ness, she followed the blind teachings of
her blind companions, and drank. The
policeman of the beat is q sober man, who
does his duty. He locks up women in silks
and women in rags; he locked her up. There
was an arraignment before Recorder Baker
yesterday, and she was permitted to return
for night to her shame and appear again
to-day. We have asylums in this town for
which the benevolent give fancy fairs There
are many demands on one and all for money
and supplies. Which of the benevolent will
step forward and, to use their own techni-
cality, ''snatch this brand from the fames?"