Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-04-16
and Vice Of Paris - How Young
Wives Prostitute Themselves for Finery.

A weekly publication, called lie DtGOte
Quartre, has taken up this subject of extrava-
gance, and treated it so opportuuely and yigor-
ousy that four editions OF the periodical were
sold in one day. Here are few of its remarks
Luxury no longer finding sufficient supply
in direct and honest sources for its insane re-
quirements, has resorted to adultery. AS the
husbands purse no longer suflices, the wife has
drawn on other mems purses, selling herself
(her last resource after all others have been ex
hausted) to get the means of remaining brilliant
in society, where few women now live without
some stain upon them. Luxury by adultery
adultery by luxury Leaning each on the
other, they have grown up, mining with all
their strength everything which was respectable
and respected disintegrating families, by in
Producing into them chickering's, with straits and
with straitened circumstances, and hatred OF
home. 1t has not been very long time since
mathematical philosophy noted the disorders TO-
mented by luxury, and demonstrated the immi-
nence of the progress of the plague. Mathemat-
cal philosophy framed the budget of young
married people who set up house with an in
come of 81, 900 or Sc, 600 year and it instanced
the wives of Office holders victims Of the pas
sion for making splendid show. The woman
who sells herself was something absolutely un-
known in the highest social circles, where hus-
band aud wife belonged to the most opulent
families of France. Now this plauge spot is
everywhere, because straitened circumstances
are the rule everywhere. Straitened circum-
stances reign iu every family, from that of the
pretty woman so greatly admired ut one OF the
recent official balls, and who, to buy head
dress of flowers, pledged at the pawnbroker's
her little daughters earrings, to that duches
whose husband tried two months to borrow
5 60 900 on the bridal diamonds of his wife.
Stratened circumstances have penetrated every
household, opening every door to vice the de-
vouring ulcer has absorbed ything-eyery
no IN lie pYtp MT hat han wa flriD
cess playing with her dolls, may affirm that
one of these days tif nothing counteracts the
plauge now general) she will prostitute herself
for II few yards of lace. Nobody will deny that
in all the higher classes Of society adultery has
become a social principle aud in the more brill
liant circles marriage, that union which should
include only two members, has become so trans
formed that some of these unions, formed to
dress the wife in order to have atterward the
! right to undress her, have become so numerous
that they might elect a board of directors. The
author then goes on to show the young wife get
ting into debt in order TO keep up her show Of
luxury, and soon falling gradually into the pro-
curesS' hands. The procureSs Is woman Of
rank, who keeps up her social position with the
money given her for her Offices by licentious
men. The author shows the titled procuress
plying her infamous trade. The procuress then
says to the lady ia debt " Why don't you ask
NJ to help you he is kind-hearted, and he
would do anything for you" But the instinct
i've aversion of the young wife is irritated by
these insulting offers, which wound her to the
bottom Of her heart. To reach that depth Of
shame she must trample under foot everything
she has held sacred, from self-respect to the old
preju dices of her caste. She is of noble birth,
aud the man to whom she must deliver herself,
the man vile enough to propose this bargain,
can be none other than one of those coarse parve-
nues admitted into drawing rooms by the exces-
siVp facility with which all hnugpS da vS
are thrown open. The procuress renews the at
tack, saying Z" have, despite you, spoken to
NJ. He knows $1,000 would save you.
They are ready. You have but TO 90 to his
house to get them" Ten thousand dollars
They are enough to pay all her creditors, ana to
give her peace, instead of this unintermttent
fever and uneasiuess. When she is alone she
says to herself "Sl0, 900 | will pay all my
debts with them and then | will fly TO the couu-
try far from that man. | will see him no more.
My husband shall know nothing of that which
fear This last fault shall eltace all others
will 60 for the money" But this resolution so
easily taken at night, in darkness, is broken by
broad daylight. Yet there is necessity imper-
ious, irremediabe, irremissabe necessity, staring
her in the face. The unhappy wife once more
begs Tor more time, and only bruises herself
against inexorable exigcncieS. She is on the
brink of the abyss. Fail she must. A last infa-
nous quarrel, which took place in her house by
II CIculloT ntT uuSUduu (LuhJ uuSDdnQ sue must
betray in order to retain his lOye) knows moth
ing of, drives her crazy. She puts on her best
clothes. She makes herself as beautiful as pos
sible for women will, in the most painful cir
cumstances sacrifice to their charms. During
the reign of terror women seen admiring
themselves in the glass as they were led to exc
cntion. Besides, at this hour, IL is her interest
to be beautltul-ls 1t not her beauty she is go
ing to sell? Her resolution wayers as she is
about to leave. She must be bold. AS she
goes through the dlnlng-roOm sue shatches up II
decanter OF lIqueurs, drinks out OF the bottle,
and half drunk, leaps into the first hack that
goes by A hack The hearse of aristocratlc
ladies virtue. The hack doesn't seem to go
fast enough tor her. The dread of failing 10
keep her resolution still haunts her, for, now
she would, she must go to the end. AT last she
reaches her destination. She is beside herself
drunk, exhausted but the forced smile is on her
lips. She enters. The silence OF the apartment
chillS her like some cold shroud thrown over
her dellrlum. Her heart sinks. Her throat
contracts. She is ruined woman. Then be-
gins Tor the wretched creature new life from
which peace is forever banlshed The resolu.
tlon she formed TO ty far from the place which
witnessed her dIshonor, He'd away with her pur-
lly. Many woman, feeling her troubles ended
by the thousand franc notes with which their
hands are tull, determine 10 shine more bril-
llaHty than ever. Luxury is mantle which
they wish more dazzling than ever to hide their
slips. Nevertheless Ihe fallen woman slips from
thradOm to thraldom; for cloud of birds Of
prey have settled on her. The procuress is not
the least Unsuitable OF them and next her is the
cham6ermald, who necessarily becomes the con
hdant, aud then the accompllce of her wishes,
whom she helps to deceive her husband. AT
last he knows all. | open at once 1t parenthe-
Sis to say wish 10 consider only brave, honor
able men. ! discard those vile creatures, be
they plebian or noble, who accept this position
or turn their incident TO account, making their
wife family give them an annuity, that they
may continue 10 live with portion of that for
tune whose lnadequacy to their station of life
proved the rum OF their household. There is no
help for it These noble ignoramuses, who
know nothing but laziness and the art of bor-