Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-12-09
A NOTE OF Warning.
How Young Girls Go to the Bad il
Wheeling.
KEEP THEM OFF THE STREETS,
During the Evening Hours, as Much as
Possible.
THE "CHIPPY" AND HER WAYS.

Wheeling is certainly no worse-indeed,
in many respects, the city is not as bad
as the average town of like population,
but nevertheless, in some special lines, we
are going the broad road with considerable
celebrity and directness.
Upon one of these exceptional matters
the REGISTER proposes to say q few words,
in the hope that the police may take such
action as NAV be deemed necessary and
proper, and that parents and guardians
may be induced to devote come thought
and attention to the subject.
This particular evil relates to the decid.
eddy fast tendencies of certain of the young
girls of the city, and the resulting large
and rapidly increasing class of females who
have gone or are going to the bad"
Within the past three years, and partic-
ulariy within the past twelve months,
more young girls have gone astray in
Wheeling, than at any corresponding peri.
cd in the history of the city.
And the proportion is monthly and year
ly becoming larger.
Take any evening of any week, hot or
cold, rainy or fair, and one cannot walk q
block after seven o'clock, along any of the
principal streets in the central part of
the city, without meeting one or more
young giIls,. often m:rs children in years,
who are on the streets for improper pur-
poses. The aggregate number is large.
The average rapid young man knows them
by the dozen; the police know them by
the score. They come from all quarters
of the city; from almost every neighbor-
hood, and against whom, amongst friends
and acquaintance, no suspicion of impro-
priety was ever entertained. But care
lessness in supervision on the part of par
ents, too much liberty as regards. hequent-
ing the streets during the evening hours,
either unaccompanied, or in the society Of
other girls, the consequent forming of &C.
quaintancesbips with "fsst" young misses,
and intr0ductioas to the Toms, Dicks and
Harrys who stand along the curbs, and
who are always ready for quiet walk
along back stree, or a more
or less prolonged talk on some
shadowy corner, soon results in
giving the girl list of acquaintance she
would be far better without, and of which
her parents would hardly approve. 1t
is not long, under the tutelage Of her elpe-
rienced female acquaintance, until the
friendships 30 formed b;ar their legitimate
fruit in invitations to balls in winter or
trips to suburban resorts in summer, with
copious indulgences in b3er at both places,
a rapid widening of her list OF friends,
and correspondingly enhanced Eek
perience" with, to her, new phase of life.
From the dance and the beer glass, the
girls next step in the wrong direction is
more marked, and before long the SCHOOL
girl, or the working girl, still above sus-
picior in her home, and an example of all
that maiden ought be among her family
friends, is known to a larger or smaller
circle as the latest addition to the con-
stantly augmenting flock of ''chippies, !"
and takes her place among the dozens who
have preceded her.
The regular ''chippy" is character,
more or less familiar to the observant citi-
zen who strolls the streets during the
evening hours. She is seen at all the balls
of the Social E even" and the Happy
Nine;" she is in for the after-dark hack
ride with one of her innumerable "fel-
lers," about the city, or buggy trip out
the pike; she knows the rear entrances to
the saloons where speciOlty is made of
providing thirsty femininity with the
foamipg lager; and upon occasions che
can point out a quiet room where she can
meet male friend vita the assurance
that no one will be the wiser.
This is the dual life many young girls
are leading here in Wheeling, and in their
interests designation houses flourish and
out of their necessities or patronage various
people coil disreputable dollars. In in
stances, well-known to many, men and
women earn a livelihood through the sins
of these young girls, rooms are rented
to t 6os AID threes of young misses, still
wearing short dresses, rooms in houses in
b5ck streets are at their disposal for a
small consideration, and houses of i'll fame
in this and neighboring cities and towns
afford facilities for continuing in lite OF
shame while seemingly still all that a
young girl ought to be.
From the ranks Of the "chippies" are
graduated the street-walkers and women
of i'll repute, and to this end many are
rapidly tending.
Something should he done to Lessen this
evil. Every little while some mother or
father hes O rude awakening to the fact
that his daughter, over whose comiDgs
ard goings there has been too little super
vision, has fallen from her lofty pedestal.
Keep the girls from the streets at night
and there will be fewer cla1destine meet
ings on the dark sides of the streets with
class of fast young men, whom, if you
knew, you would not permit your daugh-
ters 10 associate with. If this rule is car
ried out by parent or guardian, II will
save much suffering and sin.
If Increased vigilance is brought about
by parents the purpose Of this article will
have been accomplished.