Fighting the Traffic in Young Girls Part 7

She sees no danger, even though some warnings may be given, it is hard for her to realize that she, herself, will be in danger, she will tell you that she is able to take care of herself, forgetting her surroundings will be vastly different. She finally sees the danger when, alas, too late. I found an instance of this in a resort where a dear girl said one night, "we are the fools. It's a broad door to come in but so narrow to get out of here."

A HIDDEN DANGER.

The danger begins the moment a girl leaves the protection of Home and Mother. One of these dangers, and one that seems to be well nigh impossible for parents to realize, is the fact that there are watchers or agents, who may be either men or women, at our steamboat landings, railroad stations, everywhere, who seek attractive girls evidently unused to city ways, try to make their acquaintance, using inducements and deception of every conceivable kind, offers of helpfulness, showing her every kindness.

I remember so well one dear girl whom I found in Cook County Hospital, brought there from a brothel, sold, led away, deceived, from another town, on the promise of work, who said to me, "Every one in Chicago deceives you. No one told me the truth until I met you. You are the first real friend I could trust."

Girls are offered refreshments, either to eat or drink. Many are secured in this way and the girl has realized when too late, her refreshing drink was drugged, and she is a victim, a prisoner, and her life ruined.

HUNGRY FOR A LITTLE COMPANIONSHIP.

After coming to the city, homesickness may overtake a girl and even if in some cases warnings have been given, she may forget, throw off restraint and pour out her heart freely to those of whom she knows nothing, but in this unguarded moment the mischief is done.

One little realizes the longing in a girl's heart, who is alone in a big city. The following incident brings out this point:

In a brothel one night I was talking with a girl who was playing with a little pet dog. As I continued to talk to her, all at once she said looking into the dog's face, then into mine, "This is the only friend I have and if I feel blue and discouraged, he will climb into my lap and try to comfort me."

Another danger still, and a serious one, is our lodging houses of today, many of which are houses of shame, hidden from public eye. Let a girl just coming to the city beware of these for in many, many instances, I am very sure, it is just such an existence, no home life. Coming in tired, lonely, no one cares about you, you may live or die and few would know it, so to speak, unless you were in a Christian home, which are only too scarce in the lodging house business, though thank G.o.d for some. Unprotected she is here, not knowing who lives in the next room to her.

Boarding or rooming rather in one place, taking meals in another, is a great danger and one which her mother should guard against. Boarding houses are not much of an improvement, though in many cases a little more home life.

Another evil and serious danger, and only another of Satan's waiting rooms, is the entertaining of gentlemen friends in her room--true, this little room is the only place she has--and here is one of the birthplaces to immorality and temptation constantly before her. Much danger might be avoided if every lodging house had a parlor where a girl could have some home life and entertain her friends occasionally.

Oh, may the parents who read this, make sure your child has Christian influence and surroundings. It may cost you extra money to do it, but better far to cost you something than to have her life blasted and ruined.

DANGEROUS AMUs.e.m.e.nTS.

Without a moment's hesitation, I would say after much investigation, one curse of our land today is five-cent theaters. Many nights have I worked outside of these, and investigated inside, and have seen these pictures not possible to describe in words, and have seen children mere babies, of every age, flocking in and out of these theaters, many of them with older people or guardians with them, many entirely alone. More harm is done here in one night than could be undone in years.

Ice cream parlors of the city and fruit stores, in many cases combined, largely run by foreigners, are where scores of girls have taken their first step downward. Mr. Sims states that he believes the ice cream parlor even in the large country town is often a recruiting station and feeder for the white slave traffic.

Do not get the idea that we mean that all of these are connected with white slavery, but some of them are and wise parents should be careful on these points.

There are restaurants selling wines and liquors where many young girls go as waitresses, which hold dangers for any girl.

Also, let me say here a word in warning. Look out for the signs Satan is putting up all over our cities like this: "Ladies Entrance," "Family Entrance," which has been the "entrance" of many a precious girl to a life of sin.

The amus.e.m.e.nt parks are now becoming a serious menace to our young people. Shut up in a small room, hot and stifling, a girl gladly accepts the chance for an outing. All over these places Satan has his agents stationed, seeking victims.

Advertis.e.m.e.nts are another temptation in store for the country girl. It is in these days the devil's own invention, such alluring, attractive offers.

One girl told me she owed it to this that she was a "white slave." She said she saw an advertis.e.m.e.nt in the paper for experienced servants for $5.00 per week. She was only getting $3.50.

She went and found out to her sorrow after a few days that she was a prisoner in a house of shame.

A life full of subtle and fierce temptation is the life of a stenographer and oh, how many here are led astray by those who should protect them. One will say, "What is a girl to do? From all you have said, she would not dare to go anywhere."

One of the most fascinating allurements of city life to many a young girl is the dance-hall, which is truly the ante-room to h.e.l.l itself.

Here indeed, is the beginning of the white slave traffic in many instances. A girl may in her country home have danced a little, but here, 'mid the blazing lights, gaiety and so-called happiness, she enters. She is told she is awkward and will become more graceful, no harm in it. You know the rest.

Had I a daughter or a sister, one of the places I would warn her against when going to the city would be some of our large department stores, not all, thank G.o.d, but alas, too many of them.

Many girls have a great desire and ambition to work in a store in the city. Unless it were a positive, absolute necessity, I would never allow her to do it, unless I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she possessed great strength of character. I hesitated in writing this but I felt I must or G.o.d would, indeed, hold me responsible, for parents have no idea of the girls who are ruined behind counters.

When told the small salaries they will receive and a girl says, "Oh, I cannot live on that," the answer is, "We will see to that, we will provide another way for your support," and there is begun the downward career.

Fathers, mothers, did you ever stop and ask yourselves, how can these girls dress themselves the way they are required to nowadays in these stores and do it honorably on the salary that many of them receive? It will bear investigation.

A serious cause for the downfall of many girls is the small wages which so-called Christians are paying, which is barely enough for mere existence.

One father, not long ago, after some striking warnings, wrote saying he had been aroused to inquire after his little girl, her letters had been more and more infrequent, he was a trifle anxious, and wished her address looked up.

At a glance it was known at once where the girl was, the location being the center of Chicago's Red Light district.

When rescued, it was a girl with a blighted, pitifully wasted life, a sad return, indeed, to the old home. Once a pretty, pure, innocent girl.

I find a majority of girls gone astray are from the country towns, villages and hamlets. There is need for the small communities to awake.

It is through the lack of education of the fathers and mothers along these lines, particularly in the rural districts, that Satan has been aided in his onward evil march. Some one has said, "No reform will ever be successful till people know the truth." Until then there will be no decrease in vice.

The closed door of a father's home is the reason why many go deeper down in sin. A sad mistake here many parents make, refusing forgiveness, when your child may have made just one mistake. Are all parents following the example Jesus Christ set before us?

There is a point in a girl's downward career, just at the beginning, that she may be rescued on the rebound, as it were, and untold suffering saved her, for she is very tender at this time and easily influenced.

An instance of this and the steps by which a girl travels downward is found in that of a very dear, sweet girl, brought up in a Christian home, whom I found recently. Trouble at home a year and a half ago and she left. Her father forgave her and corresponded with her. The mother would not. She worked about a year with a prominent firm, then in a department store. Through illness, she lost her position. Tempted in different ways, going to a high cla.s.s wine room, so-called, then on the stage as a chorus girl. She did not enjoy it; suffered all the time.

Finally, through G.o.d's own way, lost this place. Found her in the hospital, weak, but able to leave, but nowhere to go but to hotel life.

I took her to friends and a happier girl you would seldom find, especially to receive a letter from mother telling her to come home. She could scarcely wait and her one cry was "to see my mother." We were able to have her return to her home in one of the neighboring states. Rescued just at the danger point, not a bad girl, but naturally innocent, unused to these hard experiences.

Some will say, "What is a girl to do? Must she be deprived of all pleasure? For from what you have said, it is not safe for a girl anywhere."

I do not wish to hinder any girl from attaining her desire and ambition, or having pleasure, but I do say with all the force I can command, that all these things spoken of, yes, and many, many more, are all serious and great dangers which when a girl is just starting out in life, ignorant of all this, if unguarded against, will be her ruin.

Discretion and wisdom must be used, and if so, there are plenty of places where a girl can find amus.e.m.e.nt which is pure, holy, elevating and uplifting. Most of the danger is hidden and our object is to bring to light these secret lurking places and expose them to the gaze of an alarming public. Many go through safely in answer to mother's prayers, warnings, advice, and careful watching of dear ones, thus being firmly established in character and morality. If one seeks to walk with their whole heart "in the straight and narrow way," these dangers will be avoided.

ON THE STREET.

On the street, on the street, To and fro with weary feet;-- Aching heart and aching head; Homeless, lacking daily bread; Lost to friends, and joy, and name; Sold to sorrow, sin, and shame; Wet with rain, and chilled by storm; Ruined, wretched, lone, forlorn;-- Weak and wan, with weary feet, Still I wander in the street.

On the street, on the street, Still I walk with weary feet; Lonely 'mid the city's din, Sunk in grief, and woe, and sin; Far from peace, and far from home; No one caring where I roam; No kind hand stretched forth to save; No bright hope beyond the grave; Feeble, faint, with weary feet, Still I wander, "on the street."

CHAPTER VIII.

MORE ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IN SHAME.