St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-01-05
"4II for Fun"
LURED TO RUIN THROUGH ANSWERING
"PERsONAL" ADVERTISEMENTS
ssXkTANTED-TO CORRESPOND WITH \
w limited number of young ladies object,
FIN and mutual AddrsAs--"

SXXTANTED-TO CORRESPOND WITH \
w limited number of young ladies'; object
fun and mutual Improvement Address
Such advertisements are often seen
i'll American newspapers, and of late IN
the advertising columns of certain To-
rOntO journals, and the amount of
harm which results therefrOm is some
times very distressing. a young girl
sees the advertisement, and bent ON
''fun," answers it. She can form no
idea of who her correspondent is, eX-
cept 10y his letters, and these may be
couched III the most gentlemanly Ian
guage imaginable. 1t is very easy for
young and inexperienced girl to be
thus led on by some scamp, who after
due delbcratlOn, proposes meeting.
Urged 10y curiosity the girl consents.
The young man may be very well CON
nected, and, i'll rare instances, have no
evil intentions, but this is the eXcep-
ton, not the rule. What his character
is she has no means of knowing. Up
| to this the correspondence has been
carried on under assumed names, and
the probability is the young man sticks
to his. The girls affections are secur-
ed by plausible stories, and she tells
! dll lClttlioilSs llt
meetings commence to grow more and
more frequent, till at last the denOue-
ment comes. The girl is ruined under
IL promise of marriage, and the fellow
unknown to any of her friends, escapes
his Just punishment. of course, this
is not always the case, but it occurs
with such frequency as to show the eX
treme danger of this kind of diversion
A distressing proof of the truth %
this occurred in Il most respectahl,
family in the city about ii week ago
Early in the summer the eldest daugh
ter, girl of about lS, answered one q
these advertisements. All went smooth
ly enough for a time. The parent!
paid no heed to the numerous letter,
which were constantly arriving, unit
the girls late hours attracted the faith
er's attention. He demonstrated will
her, but as that had no effect more Sc
we're measures were adopted. Shortly
before the boats stopped running las
/. summer the daughter went off on al
, excursion, and did not return HON
, that night. She telegraphed that sh'
had missed the boat and would be ii
home next day. On her return sh,
| loi lltl an
sence, but still continued to remain
. out late at nights. Her father at las
| prohibited her leaving tie house dur
ing the evenings, and this precipitate'
what was sure to occur. One Afternoon
> she left home, ostensihly to see lad
= friend. Night came on and she di
= not return. The next day passed with
| out her putting in an appearance. Th
. parents, now thoroughly alarmed, wen
i to her room, to find all her best clOthe
= gone. Shortly afterwards they receiy
ed IA telegram from Buffalo, folIOwc
4 by letter, explaining that she ha
: run away to get married and appealin
: for forgiveness. A week later the poe
i deluded girl returned home. She ha
y been deserted by the heartless wretc
o who lured her to ruin, and of who's
e real name or antecedents she reall
n knew nothing.
t Comment is unnecessary. The fact
as given above are in every particul;
e correct, and point their own mora
:. Parents, look well after your daugi
. ters' acquaintances and daughter
# never answer advertisements simil;
g to the one which heads this articl
II or you may repent it i'll sackclOth al
=, ashes. .- Toronto Mail.