Part 33 (1/2)

to its readers:--

”MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.--On Sunday evening last, between six and seven o'clock, Miss G. C---- left her father in Spring street, near Broadway, to go to her brother-in-law's (Mr.

B----), No. -- Spring street, since which time nothing has been heard of her, and it is feared that she has been dealt foully with. She is seventeen years of age, good-looking and rather tall; dark complexion, and dark eyes; lisps somewhat when in conversation. She was dressed in plaid, light and dark stripe; Talma cape; straw bonnet, trimmed with white outside, and green and white inside. Her disappearance has caused the deepest affliction to her family, and any information that can be given will be gratefully received by her aged parent, No.--Spring street.”

”It is feared that she has been foully dealt with.” Yes, and it ought to be feared that ”good-looking, rather tall” young girls, are foully dealt with in the streets of this city, every night in the week. It is feared she is not the first girl of seventeen, whose ”mysterious disappearance has caused the deepest affliction to her family.”

”Any information will be gratefully received.” Yes, any information will be gratefully received by the author of this book, which he can use effectually to awaken aged parents to the fact, that each one of these girls who wander the streets at midnight, or who fill up the dens of infamy that line whole blocks of some of the best streets in this city, is somebody's child; some ”mysterious disappearance,” that has caused deep affliction, and will cause more, for she is now influencing others to disappear from the path of rect.i.tude, in the same way that she did.

Perhaps, yea, it is probable, more than probable, that Miss G. C---- has been inveigled into one of these dens where worse than cannibals live, for they only eat the body, while these destroy the soul.

How long would a house be permitted to stand, where human flesh was served up as a banquet for those who delighted to feast upon such dainty food? A house where young girls were driven in by force or fascination, to be cooked and eaten by young epicures and gouty gormandizers. How the city's indignation would boil over, and how the storm of wrath would beat upon that house, until there would not be one stone left upon another.

Yet how calmly that same public sleeps on by the side of a thousand worse houses, where victims are worse than cooked and eaten every day--they are roasted alive.

How coldly parents will read that ”mysterious disappearance;” they will never think that girl has been destroyed by cannibals, far worse are here--they belong to savage life.

How carelessly, how thoughtlessly mothers will read this page that tells how their daughters may be influenced to ruin themselves, by such unfortunate a.s.sociations as they must meet with in their walks through the city, while our munic.i.p.al government permits the streets to be monopolized by the impure, because it is itself just what the echo answered.

How I would rejoice if I could make the truth manifest, as regards this matter, that, ”to the pure all things are pure.”

Now, let us walk on.

You need not stop to drop anything into the hand of that woman with a child on her lap. True, she looks like a pitiable object, with her opium-drugged infant wrapped in that old blue cloak, but she is not. She is a professional beggar. I have known her these three years. That child is not hers. It is hired for the purpose. It draws a share of the benefit, as it does the sympathy of those who are attracted by that well-put-on, appealing look. That child is kept by a woman who keeps three others ”to let.” They never grow too big. Laudanum is not the food that infants grow upon. They will die young, and others will be begged, borrowed, or stolen, for the same purpose.

There, the sixpence you have given that little child, will go into the till of that ”family grocery,” before we are a block farther on our way.

I know her.

It is hardly charity to give to that man; I know him too, and where he lives.

”But, he is blind.”

I know it, and that is his fortune. With it he supports himself and family of great idle girls and boys, better than many others live who labor. He is a stout, rugged, hearty man, capable of doing much useful labor, if he had any one to direct him.

”Well, here, what of this?”

Yes, you may give there; no, give me the quarter, see what I will do with it. I will buy two smiles.

”Good evening, Joseph, how do you do this evening?”

”Oh, very well, sir, thank you. How are you this evening?”

”Very well. How is trade with you, Joseph? Do these gay people buy your bouquets?”

”Well, some do, sir, but these big boys and stout men can run about and forestall a poor black man who has got no legs.”

”Joseph, has that sewing woman been down this evening; the one who always stops to give you a kind word and look, and smell of your flowers?”

”What, the one that looks so pale, the one who makes s.h.i.+rt collars; the one you gave the bouquet to, sir?”

”Yes; and I want you to give her another, here is the money.”