The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-27
A HoME FOR FALLEN WOMEN.

recognllon OF tnat nlSneI SeIhShN'' N'
shall one day make every mans happiness
all mems care-that tonight concert is TO
be given at Turner hall, the proceeds OF
which are to be applied to providing home
for fallen women. There is probably no
heart in which desolation has such winter OF
cold and storm, or into which the music OF
"Home, Sweet Home finds such passionate
and melodious echoes, as that OF the woman
separated from all the charms and endear-
ments of life, not by distance, but by gull
of fire. To the quickened conscience
every day is day of judgment
and, no matter when or in what
world, every conscience will probably
some day awaken and find itself in presence
of that procession, glad or sad, which is
formed from the thoughts and deeds Of every
life, and then the guilty one will seek refuge
from that spectral doom which its weird
power will impose and to which, perhaps,
worldly punishments are play. The purpose
of this benefcence we suppose to be to provide
that refuge for the lost women whose quick
ened consciences shall drive them to seek 1t.
1t will be when the excitements of passion and
the fierce frenzy of their phenomenal lives shall
abate, and each will find herself arraigned to
answer to her conscience for the cruclhxion OF
her own soul on the cross, from which, per
haps, it may yet be taken down. 1t will
be idle to constrain or tempt involuntary
refugees. We recall an incident apropos of
this.
Once, in a great city, humane citizen,
wealthy and yet thoughtful of others, was sur
rounded in pleasant home by the dear ones
who made the treasures of that sacred place,
among whom were two, or perhaps three,
maidens in their teens. On going thence
daily to his place of business he passed a
house of fallen women, and was often on the
summer afternoons attracted by face among
them of passionate tenderness, just beginning
to fade into the contemplation of a lost pres
ence-of the absence f that beauty which had
been more to her than s0ul. Upon inquiring
her name he was told it was Irene, and by her
history he found that she had vacated in far
off city happy home to take her place in this.
He offered to send her back, but she answered
mournfully it could not be. He asked, if she
were taken to his home and made one of
his family could she forget the past
An electric thrill ran to her face
as she timidly answered yes, and spoke her
gratitude. He took her to his home, having
prepared the way. He did not change her
name for fear she might at times forget'a new
one but, after careful instruction, introduced
her as a cousin of a family of distant relatives
whom the children did not know.
Grateful and afectionate and cautious
and happy was this poor child and
the face was fast shedding the harsh lines
which were just becoming perceptible to
studious eyes when he heard a complaint that
required attention. The oldest daughter said
one day to her mother, ''Ma, Cousin Irene
says such queer things sometimes" Eyes;
what does she say, daughter?" 81 can not
remember what she says, nor how, for | don't
understand her and it is so queer, she seems
surprised herself" After an earnest talk
with Irene and a pitifu bust of crying, he
concluded to Try her again, but it was futile.
She began to be unhappy and thought her
self avoided. BY her own request he
consigned her to a country relative to
board, where there were no children.
1t is enough to know of her
here that she never resumed a vicious life
nor did a vicious act, but retained her place
among the relatives of that benevolent and
gracious man. We have recited the case of
that benefactor to show that the only real
home for lost women is a home of their
own in which the grace and benevolence he
shed in his may be brought to preside, and
that into such one only Magdalens should
enter. Its very existence will invite reform,
will lead despairing ones to abandon the in
toxicating bowl as the Lethe in which to
drown their miseries, will exert an abiding in
1uence within the walls Of every resort of in
fanny, and speedily draw many a soul out oil
consuming fires.
SO GREAT are the scandals connected with
the New Orleans mint that strenuous efforts
are being made to have it gradually closed,
and there appears no good reason why il
should not be. But the Southwest requires Z
mint. and its location must be central anC
present facilities for the distribution of the
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