The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-05-02
4 Word to the Girls.

In, enc Of the celebrated "Irenwus'
letters recently published is the follow
| ing sentence: y am especially touched
| by the fact that 50 many letters come 20
me from mothers whose sons are gone
astray." In another paper | recently
read very well-written article on Street
Filtration. | have thought much Of
these things and | cannot disaSSociate
them in my mind. What relation have
they one to the other, do you ask? Let
US see. No Young man goes astray' all
at once; the process Is very gradual
one in most eases, and in great proper
| ton of such cases il will he found that
the wanderings of such young men can
be traced To, or at least might have been
prevented by members of the opposite
sex. The power which ludicious, dis
erect and levelheaded girl may exert as
she develops into the nobility of Chris
tian womanhood is practically limitless,
and every representative of the sex
whose aims are pure should be thankful
for this power and should study to make
a proper use of il. Now, girls, you are
perhaps familiar with the delicate, in.
describable beauty which belongs to Ger
/ tain ripe fruits and which is sometimes
designated rs peach bloom The least
touch destroys it and though it may be
afterward equally valuable for practical
use, the dallcacy Of its beauty Is gone
| forever. Just SO delicate is the God
given power Of woman. If YOU would
make it power for good guard
this great gift with the most watch
full care. Enjoy yourselves as all
young creatures should, let your spirits
have fun flow, but remember that
whether ut home or on the street n girl
cannot, with impunity, commit the least
shadow of improperly without compro
missing the great power OF which men
ton has been made, So long as the
"bloom" remains YOU may exert a power
for good uumixed with evil; let it be
brushed off and this is no longer So.
contend that there can not he such a
thing as an "innoccnt Irritation il
takes two to get up a Irritation, and adj
hitting for the sake of argument that il
can be carried on by girls without inju'
nv to them, it is likely to set influence:
at work in the minds of young mcr
which may not be stopped until they
have gone astray.' You do not, posi-
bly, never will, know the power Of tn
forces which you control and which ma,
build up or pull down young mon, bu
all who have had experience of tn,
shady side Of life will agree with me tina
the above is no exaggeratiOn. Ameri
can girls are granted a freedom from re
straint from which no other girls on tn
face OF the globe enjoy, and it become
them not TO abuse it. Girls may stop a
what they call innocent tlirt&tions," bu
young men seldom do. Stop, then, anO
consider where thoother end Of the chair
leads Haidenly modcsty carries wit
it power, majesty which il its owl
greatest and most efficient protector, bu
lit is like a polished mirror, the lcas
|, breath defaccs it, Girls, individu
" and collectively, according to tn
, manner you conduct yourselves will thi
t cry which goes up from the mothers 0
E our land for the sons be lessened or il
, creased Ponder upon these things an
? let the influence Of your thoughts regu
late your conduct not only at home bu
; on the street,