Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-30
TO PROTECT T.sE GIRLS.
Parents Claim TO Damages.

From the Burlington Hawkeye.
There is q case coming up before 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 young man. a member Of one of
the Chicago clubs. a gentleman of wealth and
refinement, is TO be sued by the father Of a
Young woman for so, 900 damages for injuries
received while In his society The Young people
had been keeping company for some years. and
the carriage of the young man was often seen
in front of the Michigan avenue residence of
the young lady. Last December he ceased
visiting her, and since that time she has been
an invalid, and has been treated for a spinal
difficulty, and the father will go into the courts
it Is said, against his daughters wish to have
u matter of responsibility settled. 1t seems
that the young man is bOw-legged, so much
SO that it has always been considered dangerous
Tor any one TO sit in his lap. for fear they would
mll through on the floor and break some bones
1t Is said that the young man knows his falling
and that he usually holds any person who may
be IN his lap with his arms so that there ia no
danger OF falling through. but in this case he
forgot the danger and let the girl slip. The
father claims that the young man, knowing how
learIuily and wonderfully he is made should
nave adopted precautions. and in his complaint
ne Will swear that on several occasions he has
warned the young man that he should place a
board across his lap or some day his pareuthesis
legs would let somebody through In his an
swcr to the complaint the young man will saw
that his legs are just as nature made them. and
that anybody who sits in his lap takes his
chances He adds that if the girl had used all
the precaution that one in So dangerous a posi-
ton shonld use. and thrown her arms around
ms neck. rs others have done. there need have
been no danger; and while he sympathiZes deeplv
with her and her family owing to the alleged
injury. he cannot consider himself responsible
VI course. there are two sides to every ques-
tion, and both sides Will have sympathizers
While We do not wish TO take sides on the
question, there are some things connected with
1t that 1t seems duty of the pious press to agi-
tate. The country is full Of cOw-legged young
men, going about seeking whom they may hold
IN their laps. and the wonder is that more such
accidents do not occnr. There should be some
law to protect girls from bow-leoeed men We
throw safeguards around ourtrapeZe performers
BY compelling the managers to place nets under
taem and why should We not Provide by law
thar the oow-legSed young man should string
hammock under his boomerang legs to catch
those who may lose their spring balance. turn a
some.sauit and fail in the winter of their discon-
teHt: IL would not De pleasant for the bow-legged
young man to be compelled to carry hammock
whenhe went to see his girl, but it would be safer
Tor the girl. We have known acareful Young man
who was bow-legged to lay pressboard or
ehcesboard or sewing -machine leaf a.ross his
lap before ne would let a girl sit down among
him but where one young man is thus careful
there are hundreds who never think OF the other
heaTts that are liable TO ache.
Inventors have studied IN vain on device for
( protecting people from the dangers of bow legs,
nd doctors who straightcn cross eyes have tried
- straighten bcw-legs but nothing seems to
SNAIL Hundreds Of giIls and women as they
road this viii shudder at the narrow escapes
~ have bad from falling through man. traps.
I'D they viii unite with us in the hope that the
Nv viii protect them Oh, of course. there are
soDe who would never fall through. though the
!. ~ we're bowed twice as much as they are, but
unuy are 20 careless they are never safe.