The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-03-06
A POLlCEMAN's STORY.
The Terrible Effects of Drink on Fashion
able Women.

The Terrible Effects of Drink on Fashion
able Women.
The corridors of the station-housc
were lined with benches, on which sat
few burly policemen in their blue and
gilt uniform. In the inner rooms were
congregated old bloated drunkards,
hardened women charged with crime,
terrified young girl and one or two
children. A small man, with keen,
steady eye, also in uniform, answered
the inquiries of visitors.
"Yes, we see strange things here" he
said. But one gets hardened, looking
constantly at the black side of human
nature. I've seen sights here, though,
that would wiring any mans heart.
There was woman one night sat on
that bench yonder that was brought in
for petty larceny. She was pretty,
gay little body, who had tried to keep
her place in fashionable life with little
money, but when she was pushed hard,
stole velvet dress. She wouldn't give
her name, and cried pitifully, begging
to be let go. But when one of the Off
GERS brought in her old father, she grew
still as death. L will never disgrace
you again she said, and turned her
face to the wall.
"When they went to take her out to
the prison van, she was dead. The
action of her heart was weak, the doc
tors said, and shame and misery bore
on it too hard. There was no use pros
ecuting a dead woman. Her father
took her away and the matter was kept
out of the papers.
but thing happened one night that
seemed to me more terrible than that.
about midnight two or three car.
riages drove up, and a party of ladies
and gentlemen came in, wrapped in
their furs and opera cloaks. They had
been at the theater, and had come down
out of curiosity, because one of their
companions had promised them a
glimpse of real tragedy, more dramatic
than any thing they would find on the
stage So in their gay dresses and
diamonds, some laughing, some ready
to cry, but all pleased with the new ex-
element, they peered in at the poor
wretches.
Among the prisoners was an old
bag, who was near to death with long
faithfulness to vice and drink She held
out her filthy hand, begging. One of
the ladies came up close, and looked at
long and curiously. ] heard her name,
and knew it. She belonged to a good
family in the city, and was famous for
her beauty and recklessness. She had
been married but year and was al
ready divorced. But there was about
her an odd, affectionate sincerity
which, people said, endeared her even
to those who blamed her
"She stood still, looking at this
bleared old woman, her face growing
white. Then she dropped gold coin
in the outstretched hand. Il wonder
she said, who will give me a gold-piece
when / sit where you do now!'
Her friends dragged her away laugh
ing. 1 smelled champagne on her
breath, as she passed me. But it was a
seen what would happen to her. 1t
would have been better if she had
looked on her own dead body. Only
we policemen know how many fast,
champagne-drinking fashionable wom-
en- end here at last"
The policeman's story was true in
every detail. We tell it to show how
short anS steep is the road downward
for the woman who, whether thought
lessly or deliberately, enters upon it.
To conceal such dangers from young
girls is as false kindness as to send in
noccnt children to walk over the hot,
thin crust of crater without warning
them that death lies below.-Youth's
Companion.