Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-05-06
ONLY FOR FUN.
But II Is the First Step Toward
Ruin.
Young Glris Who Promenade on Marke
Street-Row Young Fools are Worked
A Caution to Parents.

reporter, enc of the fine evenings of last
week, as he hurried along Market street,
about dusk. 1t was made by one of two
gentlemen standing in the Mcclure House
door, looking at two girls who had just
passed down the street. ..
ayes, they're rather xitosh; they'll soon
catch on to something" was the reply OF
the other.
The reporter passed along and overlook
the girls before they had gone as far down
as the REGISTER office. They were about
SEVENTEEN OR EI6urEEN YEARS OLD
and quite pretty. They were out in spring
costumes and each had on broad. brimmed
hat OF striking color and trimmed with
plumes 1t was plain TO see by their &C
lions they were out on a lark. They knew
that they were attracting good deal OF
attention, and were evidently enjoying
themselves on that very account The re.
porter kept nearly abreast Of them and
noted their actions. Whenever they met
q stylish or fine.looking young gent they
would look ssucily at him, and after he
passed would giggle and make some flip
D ant remark. Presently they attracted the
attention OF two young men as giddy as
themselves. The two turned and followed
the girls. Once or twice they passed them,
exchanged smiling glances and then
fell back, evidently DESTROYS OF striking up
an acquaintance, and yet being timid about
breaking the ice. The girls at first main.
tanned an air of easy indifference, but
finally concluded more encouragement
must be given If anything was to come OF
il. The four reached the corner OF Market
and Fourteenth, where the boys stopped, ap
parently half decided to abandon the pur-
suit. The girls had turned east on Four.
teenth, and one of them, looking back and
seeing that their admirers had stopped,
bowed and smiled very graciousiy. Thus
encouraged. the boys again started up
the street at rapid pace, and made bold
to speak. The four at once paired OFF and
continued their promenade, laughing and
chatting gayly. They soon, got BACK on
Market street, and entered one OF the
saloons where special rooms are
RESERVED FOR THE FAIR sBX.
Having had his curiosity excited, the re-
porter entered shortly after also, and took
a seat at a table near where the four were
sitting. They had already emptied their
beer-glasses, and were Just ordering them
retilled. Their conversation was decidedly
such as is sometimes more forc.bly than
elegantly termed fresh" They said at
first nothing very bad, or, indeed, aay
thing very sensible. The girls were by far
smarter and keener than their companions,
and the latter as was shown in their man
ner, were much elated over the adventure
they were having. While the reporter
watched them they drank four glasses OF
beer each, an amount sufficient to
loosen their tongues and also percep-
tibly to loosen their manners. The
conversation gradually took broad turn.
Il 4 L., -, To- I'D n nv.
ert himself to make remarks which, in
suggestiveness rather than in words, were
bawdy. These the girls giggled at immod-
erately. Under the effects Of the beer they
drank their actions, too, became less proper.
The boys hitched their chairs closer. and,
unrebuked, became more and more familiar,
until finally one seized his companion about
the neck and kissed her.
"YoU IMPuDEST THING"
she exclaimed, pushing him away, and
glancing hurriedly about the room to see If
any one had been witness OF the transac-
ton. Her indignation was shortlived,
however, and soon she was even more bos-
terously hilarious than before. Finally,
the girls declared they must go home, aud
with flushed cheeks and unsteady steps
they we're escorted to street car, where
they separated after having made an en-.
SdRelneut IOT IuIure IuttllUS.
This occurrence is but one of many whiCh
may be noticed any fine evening on Mar.
ket street. The police are familiar with it,
but cannot interfere, as no law is broken.
Their parents do not know it or certainly
it would be stopped for it is the first step
on the downward road to ruin. They mean
nothing wrong, and go 'only for the fun
OF it," They are paYing the way for an
evening drive out the pike, or a Sunday
trip to some of the resorts on the Nation
al road One OF the city police police was
questioned about these girls, and said he
knew them; their families were respectable
and the girls had good regulations.
now THEY WORK IT.
You know their game, don't you" he
continued. They pick up young fellows
and blow them in for supper or whatever
they want to drink. They know all the
places around here where they can 60 in
and sit down and drink beer or wine. They
live at home but they don't have anything
to do, and 80 they 60 out on the streets and
mash. They are not bad girls; that is, they
have no intention of going wrong. They
are simply giddy fools. But they are on
the down road, and il is only question OF
time. It's too bad"
What sort of fellows do they pick up
who are as big fools as they are. The
girls are afraid OF the old stagers, and let
them alone"
"po you run across many girls Of the
same sort"
Lots of EN-, lots of 'em. There are
twenty or more Of them that | see right
here on my beat OF course, | don mean
the regular walkers-tbose who make the
living that way, you understanding nice,
respectable girls, such as those two yon
pointed out. And they are all abo,.t alike
and act alike"
Some of them are shop girls, l sup
pose?"
mot many of them. No; you can bet
that girl who has been on her feet wait.
ing on customers for ten hours don't feel
very friSky. Her life is too hard a one for
her to spend much time in being glddy. Ii
she goes out on the street il is for some
thing more serious. No, these girls don't
do anything. That's the trouble, and their
parents don't know any more than to let
them come and go when they like, without
knowing where they are"
ACAvTIoN REPEATED,
The REGISTER has any number of times
called attention TO the young girls who
promenade down Market street in this
way. and cautioned parents 10 inform
themselves of the whereabouts OF their
daughters when absent at night. II the
facts could be known, it would do1btless
appear that many, very many, OF the aban-
dOned women of this and other cities began
their downward career by engaging in
street flirting. having for their sole object
lust a little fun" II parents whose
daughters, day after day and night after
night, it may be, are gaddrng about, no
one knows where, had little less conf.
dence in them or indifference over their
welfare, they could, aud doubtless would
surround them with safeguards and watch
fulneSS which would keep their feet from
going into forbidden paths, and wouli
ward off from themsel res the grief and an
gush which the ruin OF bright and loved
daughter always brings.