Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-09-05
POETRY.
ON THE TOWN.
BY RrcrIARp nENEY sroppARp.

Men hurry by with stealthy glance,
Women pass with their eyes cast down;
Even the children seem TO know
The shameless girl of the town.
Hated and Stunned / walk the street,
, Huntingdon what? For my prey, It's said;
look at il though IN different light,
For this nightly shame is my daily bread
My food, my shelter, the clothes l wear,
Only for this l might starve or drown:
The world has disowned me-what can do
But live and die on the town.
The world is cruel. 1t may be right
To crush the harlot; but grant il 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 man and blindly believed
His vows, his kisses, his crocodile tears.
OF course the fool was deceived!
What had to gain by moments sin,
To weigh in the scale with my innocent
years,
My womanly shame, my ruined name,
My fathers curses, my mothers tears?
The love of mani 1t was something to give.
Was it worth it! The price was soul paid
Did l get soul, his soul, in exchange?
Beh0iQ me mere on tue Town!
ssYour guilt was heavy" the world will say,
'tAnd heavy, heavy your doom must be;
For to pity and pardon woman's fall
Is to set no value on chastity;
You undervalue the virgins crown,
The spotless honor that makes her dear"
But ought to know what the bauble 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 ID
Let both be punished, or both go free.
If it be in woman a dreadful thing,
-rf What is it in man? Now come, be just;
(Remember, she falls through her love for him,
a, He, through his selfish lustD
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" "Wild oats" ''Better hush
iIrI it up;"
They soon forget it-in him.
Even his mother, who ought to know
The woman-nature, and how it is won,
Frames thousand excuses for him,
Because, forsooth, the man is her SON.
You have daughters, Madam, (he told me so, }
Fair, innocent daughters-"WOman, what
them"
Some mother may have son like yours,
Bid them beware OF men
| saw his coach in the street to-day, 'tFf e
Dashing along on the sunny side, ~
with a liveripd driver on the hOX.
Lolling back in her lstlcss pride,
The wife of his bosom took the air.
She was bought in the mart where hearts
...,i are sold ...sf,-rfft
I gave myself away for his love,
She sold herself for his gold!
He lives, they say, in princely way,
Flattered and feasted. One dark night
Some devil led me me TO pass his house;
saw the windows blaze of light;
The music whirled in maddening round,
| heard the fall of the dancers feet;
Bitter, bitter the thoughts l had
Standing there in the street
Back TO my gaudy den went, NJ
Marched to my room in grim despair,
Dried my eyes, painted my cheeks,
And fixed flower or two in my hair,
Corks were popping, wine was flowing,
/ seized bumper and tossed it down
One must do something to kill the time
And fit ones self for the town
meet his boy in the park sometimes,
And my heart runs over toward the child;
A frank little fellow, with fearless eyes,
He smiles at me as his father smiled;
| 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 too long in the shadow here;
Let me out in the light again.
Now for insult, blows, perhaps,
And, bitterer still, my own disdain.
take my place in the crowded street,
Not like the simple women l see
You may cheat them, men, as much as you
please,
You wear no masks with me!
know vel Under your honeyed words -
There turks a serpent; your oaths are lies;
There's lustful fire in your hungry hearts,
see it flaming up in your eyes,
Cling to them, ladies, and shrink from me,
Or rail at my bOldness. Well, have you
done?
Madam, your husband knows me well, A.
Mother, know your son. ~
But 90 your ways, and I'll go mine; -
Call me opproblous names if you will; ..
The truth is bitter, think | have lied r
"a harlot2" Yes; but woman still &
God said of old to a woman like me-
s'Go sin no MORE" or your Bibles lie.
But you, you mangle his merciful words =
To go, and sin till you die!' E.r-C
Die!-the word has pleasant sound,
The sweetest I've heard this many year.
1t seems to promise an end of pain; 2f
Anyway it will end il 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 stand
see it, l almost hear it flow.
Down on the dark and lonely pier
1t is but step-I can end my woe!
A 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! o. ga -