The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-21

I'm going to Father - to take the pledge for .
year. It's nothing but few glasses OF beer, and !
me to the island because took little too much.
can't take anything without feeling IT, ana that's
why I'm going to take the pledge. I'm hardwork,
never touched drop. It's since then you see, and
the Winters been very hard. don't excuse myself,
but say the law is too hard" mo, it's no use to
blame anybody but ones SELF" remarks o tall,
kindy-looking young woman; g! don't; know
island daV before and that very same
night took some whiskey, and was arrested. I'd
like TO stop drinking. The Island does no one any
Two gray-haired women sit brooding, broodlng.
Both are between sixty and seventy, aud both
house TO houses the other is . scrubber. Both
yielded to the tempter drink, were found in the
street and brought 60 Justice God help their gray
upon vacancy. whose weak brain is almost hope
band is dead" "Have you any children % ''No."
Don't you know tnat you will become insane II
Soa np step
you go to the Home II we give you card - Be
or the oner made to her, this sad wreck Of woman
hood-a wreck at thirty-nods assent, and again
Do asy w on me can sSs
soy NAV Se s one wSss
station hOuses Given misery and squalor, and
what becomes OF good res0luttOnSS Mortality IL
take to consider women as such and then pro-
nsunce them devils when they fail to realize poetic
ns
bly, virtu0us. the better VIII 1t be for morality.
degraded woman falls lower than . de-
to stay Down. There is no more reason why
time than for eternity. II can't help orying,"
murmurs thin, care-worn woman, "it 10 50 long
since have been spoken to kindly. I'm not
beast. know am running myself body ana soul.
l know my lie is wrong. There's not . woman on
the street that would not change II she could.
stop it. shall 60 into service, where I've been be-
1Ore" She seems in earnest, and there ts one pres
ent who promises to provide her with the neces-
A tidy woman who is briskly sewing comes up
and declares that she never was Ia such Q place
she supposes. What IS She to dor She has nice
room where she lives; she can't return for several
days; her rent IS due she Is ashamed TO make AXE
her property be seizeds What do thinkY All
what do think OF it all2 think that this Republic
Will be failure; that bad will become worse, II sober
People DO not come to the rescue OF the drunken.
II haven't been drinking; went to the station
the d So
had no place to go to. did sewing IN the family
O. Jew. and because l kept Good Friday the
woman said she would have no more Christians
round and told me to 20. III go to the Home,
OF ora any ny. where, II can get work. For Gods sake
The old, old story repeats itself again and again,
until thought almost drives to despair. Where to
begin, what to do first? The excellent matrOn Of
the Tombs Increases my faith in unfortunate
women. Thoroughly bad? OF course they are net.
Keep drink away from them and they
develop as good dispositions as the fine ladies up
town-s0me of them o great deal better can
tell y0u OF many instances Of women who have
been rescued from depraved lives, have gone West,
married. had nice children and made the best OF
wives and irlends. One woman met me eighteen
years after had known her here, and throwing
her arms around me told me what caanged per.
son she was. Now she is widow with plenty of
money and does great deal OF good with It,"
my experience is the same" asserts .
long. tried philanthropist "Of course, many
will return to their old ways. NO
drinking produce longing for excitement that
cannot be found in refOrmatory Institutions; but
the majority or women that come to US are saved.
Here Is our consolation. When a woman who has
conducted herself admirably for weeks goes OF
penny IN drink, remember those who have grown
strong enough to resist temptation, and never
falter in my work." Is not this encour-
aging' "Homesn must be made joyous
and interesting. 1t must De remembered
that OF all women these unf0rtunates
creatures need the most distraction. The reason
why SO many refuse to enter refOrmAtOries Is not
because they would not lead better lives but be-
cause they cannot endure an unnatural restraint
and an amount OF preaching calculated to drive
the best Of us to the opposite extreme. Can phi
lantnropists realize this9 The first step to be
taken Is to dispel the prevailing idea that
"hone" must be q place OF penance and prayer.
The second step-but it is long one, and must be
deferred. REFORM.