The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1874-09-03
On the Town:
BY RICHARD h. sToDpARD.


They are lighted, the streets are full,
Thousands are out This Beautiful night;
They jOstle each other, but shrink from me.
Men hurry by with With tsa sstealthy glance.
/ Even the children seem to know
The shameless girl of the town.
Hated and summed walk the street,
Huntington what! For my prey tits said;
look at it though in a different light,
For this nightly shame is my daily bread
Ny food, my shelter, the clothes wear;
&Only for this might starve or drown;
The world has drowned me-what can do
But live and die on the town!
The world is cruel. 1t may be right
To crush the har1ot, but grant 1t SO,
What made her the guilty thing she is?
| For she was innocent once, you know,
| Twas Love!- that terrible word tells all!
She loved a man and blindly believed
| His vows, his kisses, his crocodile tears
VI course the fool was deceived!
What had to gain by a moments sin,
To weigh in the scale with my innocent years
Ny womaniy shame my ruined name?
| The love of man twas something 10 give,
Was it worth it? The price was soul paid
Did get soul, his soul in exchange?
Behold me here on the town!
| ''Your guilt was heavy" the world will say
"And heavy your doom must be;
For to pity and pardon woman's fall?
Is to set no value chastity.
You undervalue the virgins crown,
But ought to know what the bubble is worth,
When the loss of it brings me here.
But pity and pardon? Who are you
To talk of pardon; pity to me?
What ask is justice, Justice, sir
Let both be punished, or both go free.
1fit be in woman dreadful thing,
What is it in man, now? Come be just;
(Remember, she falls through her love for him,
He through his selfish luSt.)
Tell me what is done to the wretch
Who tempts and riots in woman's fall?
His father curses, and casts him off?
His friends forsake? He is scorned of all?
Not he; his judges are men like himself,
Or thoughtless women who humor their
whim;
"Young blood" "WiId oats,' Better hush
They soon forget it-in HIMl
Even his mother, who ought to know
The woman-nature and how it is won,
Frames q Thousand excuses for him,
Because. forsooth, the man is her son!
You have daughter, Madame Che told me so,l
Fair innocent daughters-"Woman what
then ?"
Some mothers may have a son like yours,
Bid them beware of men!
saw his coach on the street to-day,
Dashing along on the sunny side,
With Hveried driver on the box;
Rolling back in her listleSs pride,
The wife of his bosom took the air,
She was bought in the mart where hearts are
sold;
I gave myself away for love,
She sold herself for his gold!
Flattered and feasted. One dark night,
Some devil led me to pass his house
saw the windows a blaze of light;
The music whirled i'll a maddening round,
heard the fall of the dancers feet;
Bitter, bitter the thoughts had
Standing there in the street!
Back to my gaudy den went
Marched to my room in grim despair,
Dried my eyes, painted my cheeks,
And fixed fiower or two in my hair.
1 seized a bbunmnpeT bbunn3elFs and tossed Cd it doW9:
ORe must do something to kill the time,
And ht ones self for the town.
1 meet mis- boy in the park sometimes,
A frank little fellow with fearless eyes;
He smiles at me as his father smiled;
I hate the man, but love the boy,
For think what my own, had he lived,
would be-
Perhaps it is he, come back from the dead
To his father, alas not me!
But stand toe long in the shadow here;
Let me out in the light again.
Now for insulb, blows, perhaps,
And bitterer still my own disdain.
take my place in the crowded street,
You may cheat them, men, as much as you
You % wear no masks with me!
1 know We! Under your honeyed words
There turks serpent; your oaths are lies;
There's lustful fire in your hungry hearts;
l see it flaming up in your eyesi
Cling to me; shrink from me;
Or rail at my boldness. Well, have you done9
Madam, your husband knows me well;
Mother, know your SON!
But go your way, and III go mine;
Cali me opprobrious names if you will;
The truth is bitter, think have lied;
"a harlot?" Yes! but woman still!
God said of old to woman like me,
$50, sin no more" or your Bibles lie;
But you, you mangle his merciful words
To "Go and sin till you die!"
Die THE word has pleasant sound,
The sweetest I've heard this many year.
1t seems to promise an end to pain;
Anyhow, it will end it here!
Suppose throw myself in the street?
Before the horses could trample me down
Some would-be friend might snatch me up,
And thrust me back on the town!
But look! the river! From where l stand
gee it; almost hear it flow;
Down ON the dark and lonely pier;
1t is but step; can end my woe!
plunge, a splash, and all will be DER;
The death-black waters will drag me down;
God knows where! But no matter where,
So am off the town! -.s..-.