The San Francisco call., 1913-10-31
The Deg in the
Manager
By BEATRICE FAIRFAX

<<rAM a young girl of %" very
distressed young woman writes
me, "and have been keeping
company with man of 20 for two
years steady. and as yet he has never
declared himself. or, in other words,
has never asked me to marry him.
He is always talking as though he
had no intentions whatever; still he
calls so steady and keeps telling me
what a good, sensible girl am and
hopes I viii marry some one worthy
OF me.
How can 1 know where I am at,
as how feel I ought to drop him.
A., our friends think we are en-
gagged
There are courts for those who
offend against the statutes and courts
for the protection of juveniles. but
no court in which punishment is pro-
vided for the man who sins against
a girl and violates no law in the
shining.
There IS no law providing punish
ment for the man who plays the dog
in the manger with girl. He can
linger around her for years. giving
her every reason for hoping that he
will some day marry her, leading
every friend to think they are en-
gagged and keeping away suitors who
, are more honorable and then drop
her, and escape all punishment.
RoBs HER YOUTH
He robs her of the freshness of her
youth; he takes UP her time; he es-
tranges her from her friends; by his
growls and barks he frightens other
men away, and then. like the dog that
those who might learn to care for her
have passed on and forgotten her.
Even now, after two years. this
man is little more attentive if he
scents a rival Il do not want you
for a wife" his attitude declares, but
I don't intend to let any other man
have you"
AN AGREEABLE PLACE
He enjoys her society without pay
Ing the price for it in rent and gro
ceries. He has an agreeable place to
loas without any of the obligations
that ownership attaches. He enjoys
the sympathies and companionship of
a woman, yet retains his freedom. He
likes her. His two years attention
profes 1t, but he LOVES himself
IA hopes that some day she will
marry man who is worthy of her,
and for two years has been building
up g barricade to keep other men
away. always leaving his own exits
clear.
The girl who loves is the most help
less and defenseless of ali Gods crea-
lures. and the more she loves the
greater her helplessness. But no one
has ever come forward with the sug-
gestion Of laws and courts for her re-
lief
When she is little more than a
baby, with a heart as impressionable
as wax, and brain as immature and
twice her years is permitted to make
love to her and no one interferes so
long as he breaks no law. He can
torture her with jealousy, torment
her with his indifference, and infict
upon the head of a child greater suf-
feriIfg than a woman twice her age
can over know, and escape unscathed
TO pastures new so long as he vio-
lates no moral law.
Or. like the man this unfortunate
girl has attracted. he can hang around
her door, keeping men away who are
more honorable, and lope off like
hound when she has grown old and
plain in waiting.
1t isn't fair to the girls, and my
heart cries out against the injustice
done them. Loving and trusting and
hopeful and weak, they are thrown on
the mercies of the man who comes
wooing. and no one stands ready with
a hand powerful enough to make him
WOO like a man, and not like a dog OF
& cad.
NO AUTHORITY
There is no authority to compel this
man to marry this girl, and she would
be most unhappy if there were, for he
IS the most selfish of his sex. but,
somehow, somewhere. he should be
made to realize that he sinned against
q woman and must pay the penalty.
want Ter to refuse to see him
again. Love is the greatest gift life
has to offer. 1t is worth more than
life itself and is the beginning, the
end and the sum and substance of all
happiness; but this man doesn't carry
1t in his hands.
She has mistaken him for the mes
senger of love. Such a messenger is
on his way to her; such a messenger
is on his way to every girl. But he
will pass on without delivering his
message If he finds another man
seemingly in possession.