Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-18
FUTURE OF OUR GIRLS.
A Dreary Outlook Perplexing Prob.
lems--If They must Marry, whom
Shall They Espousei
rno Dudes nrrnssrds, and Cigarette
smoking Youths are not Fit Tor Hue
bands The only Hope.
10 Howard In Boston ,;lobe.

country 1t is fair to assume that 10000.
600 are girls between the ages of one day
and eighteen years. What to do with
children is one of the most perplexing
problems known 10 the ordinary parent,
but that is sinking into comparative insig-
nificance In the presence of the moment
Gus questions What is to be done with
our girls? While In Chicago few DAYS
since | was informed by Carter Harrison,
the driving aud impetuous MAYOR of the
city, that the women and shop-girls o.
that place were indebted TO soclalistic
| alderman for an ordinance directing aud
compelling the storekeepers OF the city to
provide seats for their female employees.
A crying evil is that which we see and to
acertain extent participate in every day Of
our lives, that which coupels women, old
aud young, and girls of tender age, to
stand upon their wearled feet from ear
morn until the evening shades, when Il .
doors are closed to trade and traffic.
But physical rest is, after all, small
part Of the desideratum.
Our gills are in precGrlous position,
and stand upon places far from secure.
The hippant answer which naturally
arises to the lip Of nlnety-eig In every
| 100 readers of the question, "What is to
be done with our girlsS" is, "Marry
them"
Well, now, let us lcok at that for min
ute. The girl Of to-day must marry the
boy of to-day.
WHAT will he be ten years from now? l
do not refer to the city boy alone, but
! 70 the boy Of the countryside average
lad OF the day. II wv does he compare
with his sturdy father or his manlier
grandfather WHAT are his habits? First
and foremost, an excessive indulgence in
tobacco The cigarette lend looms upon
US from every corner. He makes offensive
the platform Of every street-car He
stenches the foyer and corridors Of every
theater; he promenades impertinently
along the streets OF the city, poisoning
every foot Of Gods pure air. Do you
mean TO tell me, as serious man, the
father OF daughter, that you would
cheeIfully yield her to the embrace of
man whose nerves are shattered, whose
muscles are fabby, whose morals are un-
dertOned, whose eyes lack lustre, whose
blood is thinned, and who knows better
than you, be he young or old who reads
this letter, that the vile stuff these boys
timper with so continually is a. deadly
poison, working subtly, slowly, surely,
but working to a ruin they can never hope
to overcome or eradicate.
But tn t is one path our boys pursue,
ony.
Leu us lolloW them into tne realm OF
"Jonh Barleycorn'' we hna athietclsm
amongst certain class OF our young
men, out no athIetei however muscular,
mas Sel peen lounu VINO cou!u success
luliy cope IN series OF wrestling matches
win John Barleycorhi yet WIN what
o'1terlty, with what accustomed ease our
young boys 'ake their inatutinaI cocktail,
thelr hoouuay WHISKY ther evening
Pich me up, IheIr euainpagne' theIr
cordial, so mat we see II every DAY OF our
ives, we see IL every hour OF tue day'
Come Win me TO Browns chop-house,
celebrated place cana the mention OF IL
can 10 Brown no good, Tor ne mas been
dead THESE three yearsS on twenty
seventh street.
Who are these In bright array, this in
Vulnerable throng ordering pigs feet,
oysl ers, woodcock, game OF every name,
chops, Welsh rareoltsF what IS II they
are drinkingF Champagne, burgundy,
whisky, brandy all manner OF mixed
huids' VINO are they, repeatf Wen,
they are the Boys 10 Whom you expect 10
marry your daughters Inc nre In their
eyes is artificial, the nush IN their cheeks
is born OF the drink IN their stomachs
rake one OF them oy the haud, grip IL,
and he Will almost scream Win pain.
rake MIN by the nape OF MS neck, push
him away, he Will stranger to and fro like
drunken man. Ylrllltyr They haven't
any. Staminaf They don't know the
meaning OF the word.
Ask them question in relation to poll
tics, foreign or domestic. They will look
at you amazed, light cigart tie ana pun
noxious fumes into the air, ana slink away
with their poor little pale hands stuck In
their pockets
This is one element, one reason against
the remai Of 'to whom we shall marry
our daughters There ale other reasons,
moral, physical, why marriage is not the
one thing needful or tde great desired end
for glrls well-born and well-ored.
What, then, are we to do with them?
1t Is gratifying to n te that among the
progressions Of the dey--in fact, OF the
age--is the labor of women and In various
NNa