The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-02-27
Girls Experience

VII , EApCIicuCc
EDITOR THE TINES:
| | have been reading with great
| interest different letters. In Sat
urday's issue is one letter blaming
women for the "other kind of
woman" l am not going to
blame anyone but am going to tell
a story and let you judge for
yourself.
Many years ago when I was a
girl OF about IA years, a young
girl in our neighborhood had the
most unfortunate experience
which can come to young girl.
She was stunned by all her
| friends and when | asked the rea-
son was told that she was bad.
AS / look back now, | can see that
she was not bad but only a young
fun-loving girl and had liked
someone too we'll. But that girls
experience remained in my mind
and for that reason l have never
trusted a man and later expert
ences in my own life only con-
firmed my former impression of
men.
Several years later | had to go
and work and met men in my
work. l, too, was a young, happy
fun-loving girl. At that time
was Just &c years old, and my
family had had much trouble.
However, In my work l met a
young man, who at the time
seemed to show great admiration
for me. Our friendship ripened
and after an acquaintance of many
months he approached the old
question, and l refused.
He told me that he loved me
and If | only loved him O little
bit then / would do as he asked
and besides | need have no fear
for he would take care of me. But
his arguments had no effect for
| knew some how that he was only
talking and the thought Of this
other girl and how she suffered
came into my mind, and l thought
what IL | should take such q step
then l too would suffer and my
| mother and the rest of the family
would also suffer through my mis-
take.
have since that time met many
men and as a rule the same ques-
ton has arisen each time and the
answer has always been the same.
But as l have grown older | have
seen why l should not change the
answer, and the reason is not in
favor of some man or men, but
for myself and all women.
] have watched other girls who
have taken that step and they
have very soon dropped away
from their old friends and l do
not pretend to know what has
happened to them. / have seen
my own progress upward and
know that part of my success is
because / was strong enough to
step aside from temptation the
first time. know many men but
few do | call friend.
What / have learned has been
from good hard experience and
my experience with men has
taught me to be on my guard all
the time. To let no man call you
Sweetheart until you can announce
the engagement and to let him
have no liberties with you until
the marriage ceremony is over.
True, my experience may have
been hard but this much / know,
If ever in my life / shall be so
fortunate as to have a daughter
| shall tell her of my experiences
with men and warn her not to
trust any of them until she is
married to one of them and then
not to trust that one too far.
My experience in the world has
not made me crouch nor am !
an unhappy girl. On the other
hand | am not afraid of men, can
hold my own with them in the
business world, can look any one
of them straight in the eye for
have kept myself good and NOT
ONE MAN HAS HELPED ME- DO
1T, but many more than can
uuHUtI uuNC plOihisCu ihO man.
luxuries and a life of ease should
| ONLY TRY TO PLEASE THEM
Please them. / should say not
for | know that in the end
| SHOULD BE THE ONE TO PAY
and the price is too high.
The men / have met are not
rotten men," They are men
some of whom are married and
with too much time on theil
hands, others with too much
money and many OF them well
known business men in town. But
in each one of them is the same
desire and their position in the
world can not change that fact
They are the type of men that O
woman who has to work meets
every day of her life in the bust
ness world. HAPPY.