River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-02-07
Female Frauds.

CARDS money and what 1t can procure as
the only things worth living for. She is
sbrewd enough to never compromise her
self, as she would then be shut out from
society She manages to make desirable
acquaintance by adroitly playing her
cards. an when an entrance is 1nce gained
into any circle her tact and assurance soon
giveher tolerably secure position. If
she is young, her aim is generally 10 en-
trap either an old fool on young one who
has plenty of money. These are continu-
ally coming and going, and often fall an
easy prey. If she is past the fascinating
age she lays her plans for getting money
by more direct means, and there are q
good many Of them in foreign city.
But the reader will be far more interst
ed to know Of those nearer home, and
their peculiar methods on this sside the
water The social customs in American
cities as very different from those abroad.
Society lines are not so closely drawn,
nor are they drawn according 10 the same
ideas, or in the same places. The facili-
ties are much greater here, however, for
our people have not had so much expert
ence, and az race We are much easier
| imposed upon, particularly if one comes
/ to us under a title or European expert
ence. Denr it as we may, Americans
/ have weakness for rank and sometimes
show Willingness TO be deceived and
/ deirauded by transatlantic impostors,
that makes All impartial observer feel that
4 they deserve all they get. Any number
of cases might be instanced where so
called counts and noblemen in general
have been admitted into society circles
/ in America for no other reason than that
of their titles, which after all did not be-
long to them. The present article has
nothing to do with these, however, as we
propose TO devote it entirely to the softer
and shrewder sex. The fact is simply
stated to show the ease with which the
average American is gulled.
The favorite stamping ground of the
/ female adventurer in this country is OF
course, New York, and there, despite OF
constant exposure, they live and thrive,
they are generally sharp enough to evade
thelaw. 1t is very seldom they offend
against the laws Of propriety. They do
not steal. They do nothing which will
give an opportunity to ''get hold" OF them
in legal sense
There are hundreds, for instance, whose
fraudulent aims go no further than to live
without cost. They secure boarding
place in some fashionable house, and re-
main sometimes for months without pay
ing a cent. The story they tell is plaus-
ible, and one calculated TO excite the
sympathy Of the average landlady, when
the patience of the latter is exhausted,
and the boarder is notified to depart, her
baggage may be stopped, to be sure, but
it is rarely done. If it is the house
keeper rarely gets anything but the bare
trunks. The contents have been removed
piece by piece, somewhere else. Should
the boarder, however, attempt to leave
secretly and carry off her things, she
could be arrested for fraud and punished
The fact is well understood, and the adj
ventures almost always remains until
she is fairly thrust from the door.
The literary adventures is curious,
and not unfIequent, type Of this genius.
In addition to her board, which she gen
orally obtains in about the same manner
as we have Just described, she negotiates
frequent loans from the acquaintance
she makes, to be repaid when her "book
comes out" She makes a great show OF
reading proof in her room, and talks IA
military about her publisher. When she
has thoroughly exhausted her borrowing
powers, and nothing more can be made in
that individual household, she removes to
some other part of the city, leaving with
her landlady on her departure an order
on "her publisher" for the amount due.
OF course she is fairly settled somewhere
else before the fraud is discovered.
Coming properly under this head is
this class of women who have really lit
erary ability, hut who care rather TO lead
lives free and untrammeled by society
limitations than TO make use OF it as a
means of subsistence. They write when
they choose, and oftentimes with remark
able brilliancy. They pay no regard TO
opportunities, or what the world may say
Of them. They openly defy public opin-
ion, recklessly do what they please, des-
pite criticism, advice, pleading, and de-
nunciation We have had notable speci-
mems OF this character IN our city within
the past twenty years, and many of our
readers will have no difficulty in placing
them.
One of these, who welded a wonderful
" faciIe pen. vas an orphan, the last OF
her race. She was graceful, beautiful, and
p Il genius At IL SbC INV AA'cA@
ture. began writing serials for The Ledger
before she was Is, and year later was
earning a salary of 5000 a year. But
she was cursed with a spirit OF unrest and
instability-coDstantl changing her To-
cality constantly in love and out, and con-
stantly doing things that made people
; hold up their hands and exclaim.
She wandered or rather whirled all
over the United States and Canada; spent
six wears in various parts of Europe; went
up the Niles to the Holy Land to Con-
stantinople; took up her residence for a
time in the West Indies, finally coming
back to the United States. After year
of railroad and hotel life over the length
and bredth of the union, she suddenly
purchased little secluded farm IN a dis
tant New England town, and buried her.
self upon it. Here she has lived for four
wears, having hardly in that time stepped
off her property, or communicated with
those who were once her frlends-a case
Of thorough surfeit of lite and WEAKNESS
with the world at 40.
Another, whose path twenty years ago
pointed in very much the same direction,
was saved by fortunate marriage, and
has risen to eminenee as a writer OF poe
try and prose. Her occasional eccentrici-
ties show, however, that the poison IS not
eradiCated from her system. It IS simply
dormant or is controlled by vigorous
exercise of will.
Still another noted adventures, who
has frequently visited Boston, and bias
many aoquaintances here. has written q
huge autobiography of herself, which has
met with an extensive sale. This woman,
from little ragged, neglected child OF
the streets. grew to be really wonder
fully brilliant and talented woman.
/ She lived in gorgeous style in Paris for
a long time, and counted many eminent
men as her admirers although she was II
oorously excluded from society herself.
What an Omission of One Letter Did.