The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-22
PARADISE OF THE WASHERS.
The Dangers to Which Young Girls Are
Exposed in the Skating Kinks.
The Facilities for Flirting, and How They
Are Improved a Reporter Wit
messed at One of These Resorts.

y
''Oh my, yes! It's lots more fun than going
with company, for you can do just as you please
then"
1t is not necessary to explain that the very
suggestive conversation quoted was between two
girls. They were approaching one of the popu-
lar roller skating Kinks of the city little after
o'clock one evening last week, and their CONVEX
sation was overheard by Daily News reporter,
who happened to be passing. The two girls, or
young ladies, if the reader prefers, were appar-
emily about eighteen years old, quite pretty
one of thsm indeed, could lay claim to being
Observation-Disclosures, saucy- looking, and well
dressed Evidently they had grown up
in their homes under the influence of
refinement and were capable of acting
their parts creditably according to the
demands of society in whatever company they
might find themselves. There was ditinguisha.
BILE, however, to close observer something In
their looks and manner which confirmed what
their words implied-namely, that they enjoyed
breaking through the restraint imposed by So
ciety, RELOCATING strict propriety to the back
ground and having time"
They entered the rink and so did the report
'alone" and in frame of mind similar to that
of the two referred to, it is impossible to say,
and how many go thus any of every night to the
half dozen different Kinks in the city must also
afford afford EXCEPTIONAL facilities for flirting,
which are being improved. The fiirts
and Washers, male and female, are
reaping richer and more abundant harvest
from these places of amusement than from all
sources combined The street on the sunny
afternoon, the parks, the ball rooms, the matt
nee, the beer garden, the street car-all are
relegated to the background, and the Washers,
professional and amateur. now go to the skating
rink. One hears the young bloods, in talking
together of the rink, use such expressions as
softest joint I've struck, great snap regular
clover-patch," 'they come easy, and variety
of others which more tersely and forcibly than
can anything else express the degraded and de-
signing minds of those who utter them, the
base purposes they have in visiting the Kinks,
and also the danger which hovers over, rather
assails the young gir-s who flock to these places
of popular resort.
Acquaintance are formed easily at the rink.
The asSemblage is as promiscuous as is to be
seen at any ordinary public ball 1t is moro SO
than at many balls. The price Of admission is
very small, and any one of respectable appear
ance can gain entrance. Many juvenile Washers
will pay quarter to get into the rink and ply
their vocation while they would not pay dollar
for ticket to a ball. careful scrutiny of the
mixed company of skaters as it glides
by you making circuit after circuit of
the floor, will reveal the mode Of procedure
and tactics of the masher and designer upon
feminine virtue. At the rink he visited the
reporter saw several men whom he knew to be
old time Washers. One of them was an ex
ceptionally good-looking fellow. He not
skating, but posed in conspicuous place where
ne could both see and be seen. His eyes, like
the skaters, made successive circuits of the rink
and about the same time, it was noticed. He
had selected his intended victim. and was follow
ing her every motion She was q very pretty
girl and a fine skater At the time the reporter
proceeded far. The young lady had not noticed
the admiring and captivating party. She skated
and on, seemingly wrapped up in the pleas
ure of the sport and conversation of her escort,
who appeared to be gentlemany sort of fe.-
low. The masher followed her with his eyes
with persstency worthy of a better object
1t was fifteen minutes or more be-
fore she saw him. Their eyes met.
His had a look Of intense admiration and
SMILE barely perceptible, might have been seen
at the same time his lips. She simply no
tced that shewas being observed and passed on.
When she came around again instinctively she
raised her eyes and met the same admiring gaze.
This experience was repeated again and again,
and the lady gave no sign of recognition or
enlargement Apparently she looked at the
man each time as she would any other unknown
person. or, indeed at an inaaimate object, bnt
she looked at him almost if not every time she
made the circuit OF the floor Probably her only
motive was to see if he was still looking at her,
and the act seemed almost involuntary.
1t is fair to infer that she really felt
a little fattered at being selected from
among so many other young ladies rs the
object of the admiration of such fine-looking
gentleman. But her countenance showed no
sign Of encouragement; neither did it express
displeasure. This latter circumstance though,
was encouragement in itself. The masher was
a veteran, and known we'll enough that already he
was more than half victor Finally chance
favored him ana he was quick to avail himself
of the opportunity it offered Just as she was
passing the place where he stood the foot of an
other skater struck hers and she had to make
an effort, not altogether graceful, to keep from
falling. In second she had recovered her.
self and that instant she again glanced
up Her admirers face wore an
unmistakable smile. She smiled in
return. That settled it. Every round was
marked off by mutual smile after that Once
when she was ON the further side of the floor, she
looked and her admirer touched his hat and was
repaid with a smile. All this time the young
lady's escort was oblivious of:what was going on.
The time came to stop skating The Young adv
and her escort left the rink together and the
masher glided out at the same time. Over her
shoulder as she departed for home, she gave the
stranger parting smile, which he answered
with another and by raising his hat.
variations many shifts, many different degrees
of celebrity, but the principle is the same
The Irritation above described may be thought
innocent and harmless by the reader. So it
might be, if it stopped there. But the next time
those two meet, if the circumstances are at all
favorable the masher will boldly step up to the
lady. and with some polite compliment and neat
ly-worded apology will claim acquaintance and
the chances are he will not be repulsed. This
may have happened already. Perhaps it oc-
Cured the very next evening But if it has not
happened it will The professional masher rare
ly neglects to follow up such promising begin
ming The fellow referred to above is an accom-
plished villain, and would not scruple to insinu-
ate himself into the affections of any young lady
he admired for the express purpose of accom-
plishing her ruin
While watching the progress of the filtration
above described, the reporter saw evidences that
others of a similar nature were being carried on.
Smiles were interchanged between skaters and
spectators, and between the skaters themselves
{1avx ed -. l. L.. 4