Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-23

I two or more generations Of girls, some :
times going about with the daughters
Of former sweethearts. II usually Ia
taken for granted that each succeeding
generation will jolly them along, and
make them welcome at the family fire.
side, or motor them to the local coun-
try club, never expecting them to pay
| the hills.
OF course, there are n few exceptions.
| Here and there we can recall some
kind old universal beau who nrranges
a theatre party once year, to include
the hostesscs and their daughters who
have entertained him throughout the
winter. We think, however, that even
these get off rather cheaply, at that!
Besides the comparatively harmless
cgoists and selfish men, there Is another
class In every metropolis that Is prnc-
tically criminal. These unattached men
attend teas, make themselves charming
to lovely young girls or fashionably
dressed matrons and follow up the cas-
ual introductions with carefully pre-
pared campaign. Usually their inten-
tions are dishonorablc from every
standpoint. They are amorous sensual
lists sometimes, but always merceDary.
At the first or second little dinner they
discover. to their chagrin, that they
have changed their suit and forgotten
their money, and the woman tactfully
and dclicately insists on paying the
check.
1t may be that this game cannot be
played often on the same woman-but
there arc SO many other women to fall
for IL To our shame be it said, some
times. we may be taken In over and over
by the same man and the same trick. III
once our confidence Is established; II
once We actually believe that he Is COM
mandiug a large salary, but his check
has been lost In the mails or some other
calamity has befallen him-we urge, beg
him to accept n loan, wording our plea
with utmost finesse.
Other men snort in fury at these
grafters who prey on the finest qualities
Of women-their generosity and trust
fulness and credulity-yet we refuse to
accept the valuation of the other men.
believing them to be hard hearted and
lacking understanding.
In oil walks of society such men ply
a remunerative and easy trade. There
il no legal redress for the victim, for
the man did not steal, he merely ac-
cepted loan In the case Of well to. do
widows men prey upon them in endless
ways. beguiling them into fake invest
ments, borrowing thousands of dollars,
even proposing matrimony. Yet when
the woman wakes up to her mistake she
is involved in some way that would be
embarrassing to the point of social ruin.
Who would dare brave newspaper pub
licity and ridicule and innuendo? The
man can easily cast light aspersions on
her actual reputation, and she is power
less. No one knows better than she
what FOOL she was She loathes him
as a reptile, but herself more, for being
so gullible.
She swallows her medicine. berates
herself for years, ashamed Of her ac.
tions tha. were, after all, rs we have
said. often the result of real virtues,
unselfshness and generosity. Mean
time. the bandit goes scot free. quite
within the law-and finds other victims
| / know of one young man who
claimed he had paced the streets in
terrific heat, looking for work. many
days. He was just planning suicide. A
gracious woman gave him ten dollars
and addresses Of several prospective en-
ployers. The next she heard he had
eloped with dancer. A very slick man
got fifteen thousand dollars from mid
dle-aged widow who was usually
shrewd. She was a fine woman, but
simply believed him honest.
We must be wise, but not cynical.