Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-11-04
PROTECT THE GIRLS.

There is q case coming up before a
Chicago court that will be of great
interest to Thousands of people who
have long desired decision on some
of the points that will be developed.
1t seems that a young man, q member
Of one of the Chicago clubs. q gentle
man of wealth and refinement, is to
be sued by the father of . young wo-
man for S50, 900 damages for injuries
received while in his society. Tho
young people had been keeping com.
pany for some years, aud tho carriage
of the young man was often seen in
front OF the Michigan avenue resi-
demce OF the young lady. Last De-
cember he ceased visiting her, and
since that time she has been all in.
valid, and has been treated for spiual
difficulty, aud the father will go into
the courts, it is said, against his
daughters wish. TO have the matter
of responsibility settled. 1t seems
that the young man is bow-legged, 40
much SO that it has always beeh con-
sidered dangerous for any Que to, sit
in his lap. for fear they would fall
through ON the floor aud break some
bones. It is said that the young man
knows his falling and that he usually
holds any person who may be In his
lap With bis arms, 80 that there 10 no
danger OF falling through. but in this
case he forgot the danger aud let the
girl slip. The father claims that the
young man, knowing how fearfully
and wonderfully he is made. should
have adopted precautions, and in his
complaint he will swear that on sever
al occasions he has warned the young
man that he should place o board
across his lap, or some day his par
entl,esis legs will let somebody
through. In his xnswer to the COM
plsint the young man will say that
his legs are just as nature made them.
aud that any body who sits In bis lap
takes the chances. He adds that if
the girl had taken all the precautions
that one in SO dangerous position
should use, aud thrown hor arms
around his neck rs others have dOne.
there need have been NO danger aud
while he synpathizes deeply with her
and her family, owing TO the. alleged
injury, he cannot consider himself re-
sponsible. or course, there are two
sides to every question, and both sides
| will have sympathizers. ,s5a
While we do not wish to take sides
on the question, there are some things
connected with it that il seems duty
OF the pious press to sgitate. The
country 10 full Of bow-legged young
men, going about seeking whom. they
may hold in their laps, aud the w0n-
der is that more such accidents do not
occur. There should be some law to
protect girls from bow-legged men.
We throw safeguards around our
trapeze performers by compelling
managers to place nets under them,
and why should we not provide by
law that the bow.leggedy young man
should string q hammock under his
boomerang legs to catch those who
may lose their spring balance. turn .
somersault, aud fall in the winter Of
their discomfort.
IT. would not be pleasant to the bow.
legged young man to be compelled to
carry q hammock when he went to
see hls girl. We have knownoa care
ful young man, who " as bOw-legged,
to lay press-bosrd or chess. board,
or q sewing machine leaf across his
lap before he would let girl sit down
among him; but where one young
man ia thus careful there are hun
dreds who never think of the other
hearts that are Liable to ache. sa
Inventors have studied in vain on
device for protecting people from the
dangers of bow-Iega, and doctors who
straighten cross eyes have tried to
strais hten bow-legs. hut nothing
seems to avail. Hundreds of girls
and women as they read this will
shuddcr at the narrow escapes they
have had from falling through man.
traps, and they will unite with us in
the hope that the law will protect
them. Oh, OF course, there are some
who would never fall through, though
the legs were bowed twice as much
as they are, but many are 30 careless
they are never safe.