The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-14
OUR NEW YORK LETTER
a Real Life Tragedy With Moral.
Greater New YorlS's New Women-Oc-
tavo Thanet and Eer Butcher.
Especial Corrcspondence.l

ton of the truth Of tho statement that
tho way OF the transgressor is hard and
affords the text for 81 sermon which in
the hands of an eloquent preacher could
not fail to have an erroneous and salu-
tary influence upon tho younger mem
bcrs of his flock. About dozen years
ago there lived in this city an orphan
boy who had been adopted by wealthy
couple. Tho man was, while not tech
nically dishonest, at least u trifie un-
scrupulous i'll his business methods, and
1T is doubtless true, as has been alleged,
that this early training had much to do
with the subsequent downfall of the
lad. His protectors lost their money in
time, and the boy was left to shift for
himself, He contrived to secure employ
ment and was rapidly advanced Ho
soon became so valuable an assistant
that he was put into position of trust,
where he handled large sums of money
The Tempter Came.
AT about this time the young man
fell i'll with wild companions, who prey
eel upon his generous nature to such an
extent that he soon found that his ac-
count i'll the savings bank had disap-
peared. Then it was that the tcmptcr
came i'll the person of one of these newly
acquired acquaintanccs, who induced
him to advance himself a certain sum
OF money from the funds of the firm. the
alleged friend promising that it should
be returned before the day on which the
young clerks report was to be made.
In viz
coming ut the time promised, and his
employers, justly eXasperated by his APP
parent ingratitudc, prosecuted the case
vigorously. Friends of former days fell
away like icicles before IL torrid sun.
and this young man, who would have
been shocked by the mere suggestion
that he would steal, was sent to prison
for several years. He got the commuta-
ton for good behavior and returned to
this city, chastened and determined
never again to keep bad company.
a Marked Man.
He lived up to this resolution, but
soon learned that he was i'll measure Il
marked man. 1t seemed impossible to
get employment even where the matter
of honesty would be of little moment
He was discouraged and went away, re-
turning after al absence of Il year or
two. This time he succeeded in getting
work, and he had just como to the CON
clusion that mt last Il new life was open
ing before him when he was stricken
with Il malady which had been contract
ed i'll prison. Since that time this I'M
fortunate has spent three fOurths of each
year i'll hospitals, and at this moment he
is calmly and almost chccrfully await
ing the end, which he realizes cannot be
far away. He has no complaint to make
and declares that his punishment. while
severe, was nevertheless just That is
true, without Il doubt, but there is so
much about this case which suggests
that the tempter should also have suffer
cd for the crime that many Il man would
have rallied at fate and held it response
bic for the downfall brought about by
his own act.
New Women In Greater New York.
The new woman is not coming. She
has come The charter of Greater New
York has been fruitful source of con-
rersation i'll this city for many weeks
The new woman was not given IL
thought by those charged with the work
of drafting the charter So the ladies
held Il largely attended meeting and
adopted the following resolutions:
That there may be contained some
where i'll the charter an explanatory
clause stating that wherever the mascu-
line noun and pronoun are used they
shall be held to apply 10 persons of both
sexes, so that women shall not ONLY he
taxed for the support OF the city gov
ernment and suffer penalties for msdc-
mcanors OH equal terms with men, but
Shall also share the benefits of all priyi-
legcs bestowed ON men; that in all de
partments Of the city government there
shall be established the rule of equal
pay for equal work, without regard to
sex; that i'll all city institutions which
receive women as prisoners, patients,
paupers or otherwise dependent inmates
women officials shall be appointed i'll
different capacities; that women ply
slclans shall be eligible for all positions
III city hospitals and asylums where
women patients are received and that
the maternity and genealogical wards
Shall be under their control; that insane
and criminal women shall have the OPP
portunity OF being examined before com
mltment by women physicians; that
women shall be appointed to serve on
the board Of health, OH the board of cdu-
cation and rs commissioners of charity. -
Now, the worst of it all is that the
horrid men may just ignore the resolu-
lions or, more terrible still, laugh at
them despite the manifest Justice of
most of the demands.
Octave Thanet and Her Butcher.
Richard Henry Stoddard, the well
known littcrateur says, that as Miss