The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-21

Julia, tnost emphatically.) No. |
hao,c they do not. They have nearly al
ways been led, betrayed, or driven here.
Mrs. Y. Do you think they would leave
the business if the same chances were of
fered to them that men find when they wish
to reform ?
q Julia. Why should they not Who
ever offered it ? In that case, wouldn't
there be everything to win, and nothing to
lose ? A little of this life is enough for a
woman, even if she wanted it to begin with.
Mrs. Y. If we propose plan that looks
Just to you, will you cooperate with us in
carrying it out?
Julia. Most heartily. (After little con-
versation.) | feel very grateful to you for
thinking of us, caring for us, and for treat
ing us as if there might be some good left
i'll us.
the ladies next visited house occupied
by quadroons and octoroons, and asked for
he mistress of the house.
All the ingenuity and resources of a
household of servants having been taxed to
the utmost to convince the visitors that the
lady couldn't be found and didn't live there,
and never did live there, and that they
didn't know any such person any way, they
at last concluded to make special effort,
and 90 out and make inquiries. In a few
moments the lady, beautiful octoroon,
swept down stairs, elaborately, but taste
fully, dressed, evidently much disturbed
and puzzled'by such a visit. The purpose
was soon made known to her, and she
showed intelligence, feeling, and just judg-
ment in discussing the whole question.
Mrs. X. DO you think that intemperanct
has much to do with bringing men here?
Laura. Well, | don't see why men lay
everything to drinking, when they deliber-
ately make up their minds to come here
and then send out and get from half doz-
en- to dozen bottles of wine to make them
drunk enough to do what they said they
would. Now | think its the men them.
selves, and their own wickedness. I've
heard real gentlemen in this house threaten
to do things that would make your blood
run cold to hear, ladies', and they knew they
never could do it until they had drank q
dozen bottles of wine. Now | insist upor
it, it is not the wine that's to blame, be.
cause they made up their minds before they
drank it.
Mrs. X. Do you and your girls like this
life?
Laura. Well, of course, we'd like tc
make money at something else; but there
isn't any way. Most of our girls ge
spoiled when they're quite young, living
out, most generally by the master wher
the mistress is away from home, and ther
Of course they soon Get turned away anf
come right 20 s1ch nlaces.
Mrs. x. Well, they are better than
fer stav;n~ here ; r'7
lama Some of Them would bec,us,
thew live like ladies' and white pcntleme,
come com to 500 them and thev don't have i,
work. Init there are others who would b.
Glad to GET away.
Mrs. K. }Bnt wouldn't thcv rathe
marrv2 DON'T colorcd men visit here ?
Tai,ra. 6 no. They are mostly whit
mon and married ones foo. There mus
be such places. YOU know. Our Girls d
ret nretty bad. but some Of them don,
Know any better. Poor if vo
[ only knew how those men abuse her. an
! she isn,t half witted.
Mrs. X. What an important matter tn
mixed school question is while such thing
are transpirine with no one to interfere.
there is a single girl who wants to leave thi
business don't fail to let us know.
The ladies' visited next woman who w;
so desperate that she declared herself read
to commit any crime to be taken into I'll
police court.
"How wish they.would arrest me. - sl
| muttered. sI,ll make them do it som
time. | am willing to die. hate life. A
I ask on earth is a chance to talk two houl
in a police court. If [ wouldn't wiring til
souls of the fathers and mothers and brc
theirs and sisters of this city. Outcasts, al
we? Who outcast us? The great men
the nation Haven't | admitted fathers [
one room of this house and their ow
daughters to the next room ? And the
both thought | didn't know them. Py
known married men to pay hundred do
lars. and more. for a Young girl who didn
know what this life meant. There is n
probability of any law being passed on th
subject in this city. You can't find m;
iority of men that dare to touch it.v
She sprang to the door and closed it, b,
not until the ladies had seen familiar fat
and form enter the door and pass up IL
stairway. The ladies hastily left as it w;
no part Of their design to bring distress {
grief to any home, but only to save wome
from shame and misery. ..5 n
The next place visited brought comic
and hope enough to compensate the ladi
for much they had suffered IN their fearf
undertaking.
II had been their hope from the first
find on the way house that could be boug
!, to make a comfortable pleasant home I
all who desired to leave their present el