The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-25
SKATING Kinks.
resting q Policeman's knowledge - How
Young Girls Are Led Astray.

AOuns Girls Are Led Astray.
San Francisco Examiner.
the earnest solicitation of my daughters I
permitted them to attend the skating rink several
evenings" said n lady who has three charming
girls. the eldest of whom recently graduated from
the High-school.
''They told me-" continued the lady. shat
their classmates all went there, and as / knew
that many of the mothers in our vicinity per-
mitted their daughters to go, l gave my consent.
The girls came home each evening before 10
o'clock, and their rudy faces denoted that
they greatly enjoyed the sport. One day,
however, | heard my youngest girl make a
remark that surprised me. / need not repeat It,
but it opened my eyes to the fact that she had
made the acquaintance of some one who was IN
stllllng evil thoughts into her mind. l said
nothing to her about the matter, but L watched
her and the other girls closely. 1t was but a
lew days before a chance expression, dropped by
inc el0eSt girl gave me a ciew to what was going
on. L learned that they were making 'masheS'
at the skating rink. L then determined to visit
the rink myself, and watch the conduct of the
visitors.
Il mentioned my intention to a friend, who is
the wife of a sergeant of police, and she told me
that her husband had frequently spoken TO her
about the low class of men who frequented these
places and insidiously tempted and ruined young
girls. While we were talking the officer returned
home, and corroborated all that his wife had re-
lated.
81 am off duty tonight he said. 'and if you
Will come W1LH me TO a rink III the mOSC nlgn-
toned part of the city, | will show you opium
fends and shortcard players skating hand in
hand with the daughters of the most respectable
parents
Il accepted the invitation, and a little after s
o'clock we entered a rink. Ny escort took me
into the gallery, where we could watch the
skaters. There was a merry gathering of young
people. and | had to admit that there seemed
nothing harmful in the exercise. To be snre.
there was a little too much indiscriminate ia
w u pIt " with rEfoh ynnpla hr1yNyn noNnC
each other and fell around, but they were ali so
good natured about it that [ could hardly con
denim the rink. l soon discovered that it was
but the surface that | saw.
"'Do you see that young fellow in the light
suit of clothes talking to that lady and her
daughter said the sergeant, pointing to a seat
on the floor of the rink.
Yes. She is a pelehbor of NINE I replied.
The young lady graduated with my girl
"'Well, | Just want 70 prove something to you.
| will leave you at the foot of the stairs, and you
60 over and speak to her. She will introduce
you to the young man. Be sure and remember
the name she calls him. [ don't want him to see
me just yet
Il did as he told me, and was introduced to
the young man as Harry Smith. In a few min
utes' conversation l learned that he was a clerk
III the railroad Office. He was a stout, full-faced,
pleasant looking young man, and the girl told ne
IN a whisper that she knew him two weeks,
and that he was real nice. We had talked about
five minutes, when my escort walked quietly up
behind the nice young man. and, laying his
hand on his shoulder, said: jim, amt you out Of
your elenentP Did the young man look insulted?
Oh, no: he walked off like a whipped cur. Of
course. the lady and her daughter were evidently
surprised and indignant, but when the sergeant
explained that the fellow was an incorrigible
opium smoker, and had been living off of fallen
women for years, the mother was only too
thankful for his interference. The girl, it after
ward TRANSFERRED, had become quite attached to
the fellow, ana her parents thought 1T best to
send her East for a few months.
During the evening the sergeant pointed out
half a dozen young men to me who had been ar
rested frequently for vagrancy. One of the
most graceful skaters on the floor, who was
attracting no little attention from the girls, was
an individual who had served a term IN. the
house of correction for inducing a miss OF fifteen
to enter a life of shame. Did [ let my girls 60
skating after that9 No, indeed. / have spoken
to the minister of my church about what |
learned that night, aud he has promised me to
deliver a sermon upon the subject. There are a
half dozen young ladies of the church who teach
Sunday school and go TO the rink. He has
agreed to make the sermon a very pertinent one
to them"
In conversation with a member Of a prominent
athletic and social club the other evening. the
question Of skating Kinks was mooted, and the
gentleman said: You know we have ALWAYS
had the reputation of giving select parties. No
woman with a faint on her reputation can re-
celve an invitation to our receptiOnS. We are
obliged to be very strict on this point, or we will
lose our prestige. In making out our list for
the last ball there were seven young ladies and
two married ones stricken off because of scan
dals arising from too frequent use of the rollers.
1t has come TO such a pass now that a woman
who attends the rink is looked upon with suS-
picion."