The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-10-11
"THOSE MISERABLE WOMEN"

Lonngng in the waiting room Of a fashion
able modiste, the other morning, l overheard
a lady noted for her wealth and position say
eve no sooner get new and elegant styl
than it is monopolized by those miserabl
women" A whole volume of socialism an
caste lay in the brief sentence commence
with that sacred "we." I looked at her as sh
was bowed out by the obsequious attendant
and saw a fair, matronly woman, M gniiicentl,,
dressed, with that naughty curve to her waxel
chin that is a legible inscription to reader Q
character. | did not know that she lived in
| glass house or had any vices SO beautiful,
gilded as to be attractive to the eyes of virtue
but | thought that, tor one who stood 81
blo adly in the sunlight of this life, she haG
but little charity for those in the shadow
Miserable women" indeed they are, and none
know it SO thoroughly, or feel it so heavily, al
! Themselves but why for this social ostracisu
should their Christian sisters deny them tn,
goodly raiment of life
"Home she had none" is written of hel
who, of all others in this weary, wicked
world, should have home should have silk
attire and gold and pears; and the amber
wine of life, in whose dregs lies the bitter.
ness of death-she who has no hopes beyond
whom no priest can be found to assail-who
is banned by Church and State-in whose
breast rankles hell of more acute torment
than good DR.. Watts ever preached-she not
to have the richest and fairest of this world s
goods Oh, what merciless satire, when
hands Ike yours have shut the doors Of
Heaven and barred them on her. 1t is you,
NY friend, who have stolen her styles, who
aspire to know Christ in your heart and serve
the devil in your dress; for there is an evil,
righteousness in the apparel of hundreds of
women who are pure in their lives, which to
others are the tinger-posts to ruin. "Misera-
bic women" yes; but women none the less,
with human hearts and kindly instincts and
immortal souls, which you probe with such
cruel scorn
Women who of all others should have home
and shelter, if only for the sake OF Him who
said, Neither do l condemn thee: 90 and
sin 10 more" Why there are women in this
very city who elect themselves champions of
their sex, and turn their lives topsy -turvy,
hunting for mission to elevate women, who
wouldn't let Magdalen sit on their door
steps, and turn purple with indignation if one
asks then. how she can earn an honest living
who, Ignoring the temptation incident to ALL
the sequences, perhaps. of q childhood uncar-
ed for-condemn them unheard as sinners Of
the deepest dye. forgetting that
To step aside is human"
We see their sin written upon them in lum-
nous characters, but we do not see the an
sulsh, the repentance within, when they can
aot turn to come back, for fear of the very
good people who bar the way 1t is human to
srr, but divine to forgive. Was there ever
more loving sermon for the Magds,len than
his, since He lived?
8 If any woman OF rs ar
II any woman of the street, !
Before the Lord should pause and fay, |
And With her long hair wipe his feet.
how ronnd that woman would We throng. I
How willingly would clasp her hands.
Ire n from the toucn divine, and long,
70 gather up the twice-bIest strands! !
How eagerly with her would change
Our idle innocence, nor heed
Her shameful mem Re is and strange,
Could We but also claim that deed!s
San Francisco Golden Era.