Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-10
IF she BE GUILTY., WHY Nor He

Thousands are out this beautiful night;
They jostle each other, but shrink from me
Men hurry by with stealthy glance
Women pass with their eyes cast down;
Even the children seem know
The shameless girl OF the town.
Hated and Stunned, I walk the street,
Huntingdon what For my prey, 'tis said
look at II, though, in different light;
FOR this nights shame is my daily bread
My food, my shelter, the clothes we r
Only for this might starve drown,
The world az dsswned me-what can do
But live and die on the town?
The world is cruel 1t might be right
To crush the harlot; but, grant it so.
What made her the guilty thing she isl
For she was innocent once you know
Twas love. That terrible word tells all.
she loved man, and bliadly believed
His vows hif kisses. his crocodile tears
OF course, the fool was deceived
What had to gain by a momentssin,
To weigh IN the scale OF my nCcent years
Nv womanly shame, M ruined nsme
My fathers c.rse, my mothers tesrs?
The love Of a man ! 1t was something to give
Was it worth it? TIE price was a sou paid own
Did get soul, his soul, in exchange?
Behold me here on the town.
Your guilt wes heavy the world will say, - -
1" Aud heavy, heavy your doom must be
For to pity and pardon woman's fall
Is to set no value on WON MS chastity /"
You undervafue the virgins crown
The spOtless honor that makes her dear;
But ought to know what the bauble is worth
When the loss OF it brings me here
But pity and pardon Who are You
To talk Of pardon or pity to me?
What / ask is justice-ius.ica sir
Let both be punished, or both 20 free
II it be in woman q shameful thing,
What l. it in man, now? Come, be lust
(Remember she falls through her love for b i'm,
de, through his selfish lust)
Tell me. what is dsne to the wretch
Who tempts and riots in woman's fall p
His father curses and casts him eff?
His friends forsake? He is scorned OF all!
Not he; his judges are msn like himself,
Or thOughtless women who humor their whim-
Young blood'-"Wild oats'-''Better hush it up
They soon forget it in him
Even the mother-who ought to know
The woman nature, and how it was won -
Frames q thousand excuses for him,
Because, forsOOth, tho man is her son
You have daughters, madam (h' told me so),
Fair, innocent daughters. Woman, what them
Some mother may have son ike yours
Bid them beware OF men
1 saw his coach in the street to-day.
Dashing along on thesunny side,
With liveried driver on the box;
Lilling back in her listless PRIDE
The wife of his bosom took the air
She was bought in the mart where hearts are sold
gave myself away for his love
She sold herself for his gold.
He lives, they say, in princely way,
Faitered and feasted 01e dark night
Some devil led me to psss his house.
saw the windows blaze OF light,
The music whiried in . maddeuiDg round
heard the fall Of dancers feet
Bitter, bitter the thoughts had,
Standing there in the street
Back to my gaudy den went,
Marched to my room in grim desDair
Dried my eyes, PAINTED my cheeks
And fixed flower or two in my hair
Corks were popping, wine was flowing,
selz'd bumper and passed it down:
One must do something TO kill the time
And fit oneself Tor the town.
1 meet his boy in the park sometimes.
And my heart runs over toward the child
frank little fellow, With fearless eyes
He smiles at me as his father smiled.
hate the man, but love the boy
For think that my own, had it lived-would be-
Perhaps it is he, come back from the dead
To his father alas not me
But stand too long in the shadow here
Let me out in the light again.
Now for insult, blows perhaps,
And, b, terer sill, my own disdain
take my place in the crowd Of men,
Not like the simple women see;
You may cheat them, men, as much as you please
You wear no masks with me
know ye Under your houeyed words
There turks serpent your caths are lies
There's lustful fire in your hungry hearts,
see it famsg up ia your eyes
Cling to them, ladies, and shrink from me-
Or rail at nay bodness-Well, have gu done
Madam, your husband knows me we'll
Mother, know your son
But 80 your ways. and I'll go mine;
Gail me oppTobrious names If YOU ell
The truth is better think have lied:
" A haTlot z Yes, but a woman still
God said OF old to woman like me,
:" Co. sin no more" or the Bibles lie
Bat You you mangle his mereiful words
To Go, and Sin till you die !"
Die ! The word has pleasant sound,
The sweetest I've card for many a year:
1t seems to pr mise end to pain
A way, it VIII end there
suppose throw myself in the street
Before the horses could tramp me down
Some wiud-be friend might snatch me up,
And thrus. me back on the town.
Blu, look the river Prom where stand
see IT almost hear it flow.
Down on the dark and lonely pier
1t is but step-I can end my woe
A pupge, splash, and all will be Ger,
Tire death-biaek waters will drag me down
God knows where. But no matter where
So am of the town
-[R II. Stoddard