Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22
FOR MUTUAL PROTECTION.
Massachusetts Young Women Organ
ize to Foil UnprincipIed Men.
From the Boston Herald

From the Boston Herald.
| ''Oh. for man.-any kind of a man. is
| not the heart cry of all young women.
| There are some Of the sex who, much as
| they desire to settle down in life," have
| too much good sense to jump at the first
| man who offers himself in marriage, ire
| spective of his moral character or financial
standing. Among these are a considerable
| number of the leading society girls of
Plymouth, Mass, who have organized them
selves into a society for mutual protection
against worthless members of the opposite
sex.
The organization was prompted by an In
cident that occurred last summer. A young
man summering at Plymouth became en-
gagged to of the pretty little PuritanS
there and their marriage was thought to De
one of the futures surest promises. But to
the utter amazement and great shock OF
the good townspeople dark beauty turned
up on day, claimed the prospective bride
groom as her husband and took him away
with her.
The shocked young woman who had
thought herself to be married col
lapsed at the revelation and was very i'll
for long time. She had friends In town
and about the countryside, and some or
them, remembering for their part the evan
escent character of the wooing of summer
men, quietly banded together for mutual
protection.
No member will tell who another member
is; no one will hardly admit that she is
member, but still the society does exist and
no one can say how many have been the
unhappy marriages which it has prevented
To be a member Of the society one must
be between seventeen and thirty years OF
age. 1t is during this period Of life, say the
young ladies, that one is most apt to be
sought by SWANS, sincere or otherwise, and
SO needs protection. Meetings are held at
stated intervals, or member can call
special meeting If she wishes that the others
may consider some especial and pressing
case.
The first president Of the society, elected
last October, and who will hold Office for a
year, Is Miss jeanette b. Corley. The vice
president and the young woman who will,
says Miss Corley, be made president next
October, is Miss Alice Pierce. Under Miss
I Corley's leadership the association has
grown to strength of nearly half hum
dred, and 1t is said that almost every young
| woman who has been approached and ask
! ed to join has done
| The method of looking into the character
| of young man is simple. The society holds
! one of its stated meetings and each young
| woman who has a swain OF whom she is at
| all doubtful gives his name and as many
| particulars she deems desirable to the
| club. All is held in strict secrecy. a com
mjttee is appointed from among those pres
| ent. and then there commences an investi-
| cation. Woe to the young man who has
! been engag ed and broken it off without
very good cause, to him who runs off TO
! Boston-to 1.-The city" as they call it-aud
| puts poison into his mouth to steal away
! his brains. to him who is mixed up in
| any matrimonial ENHANCEMENT.
Quietly inquiries are made, and when by
| half a dozen curious young women there
/ are not many stones left unturned. one may
| be sure. Then at the next meeting the
young women come together with their
! Judgments formed. That no one may knoW
| just who does the blackballng, should any
be necessary. ballots are dropped into a hat,
as at any club, and then read by the presi-
!
as a whole. still Individual members may
/ find some thing alone. and 1t is on the re-
suit of these findings that the young man
| chances rest.
! Drinks and swears," 'Was engaged to
| two girls at once" HAS been divorced
| Has no money and "A saloon loafer are
| some of the workings of the little cards
| which tossed into the box.