Open [35.2 MB]

PLEAS 205
he is likely to come across poor seamstresses
and shop girls. He gets quite a good salary,
and makes a fair commission, on his work.
He provides himself with attractive presents,
and practically every evening of his life
he goes out with a new girl to dinner; he
flatters her, gives her food and wine and some
and ruins her !
present,
It is almost unbelievable that these
wretches can exist and go on as they do,
and it is only when women hold together and
try to serve each other, forgetful of their own
personal inconvenience and comfort, that we
can hope to throw a shield of protection around
these girls, who from very sad economic condi-
tions are so easily made victims of men of this
sort. Many come to Mackirdy House for help.
Before my marriage I travelled a good deal,
and for nearly six months toured in America.
I also went all over the Continent, and I did
not encounter many disagreeable experiences,
I am bound to admit. Still there were some,
but I was well off, and had scores of friends,
and went to safe places. When I went to
make social investigations abroad I had two
men on my staff with me. A very curious
thing, however, happened to me one day after
my marriage, when I was travelling with my
husband. He put me into the train at Vic-
toria and it happened to be a first-class
carriage too and left me to get an evening
paper. He was delayed a few minutes, and
as I sat waiting for him, a flashy-looking,
vulgarly dressed sort of foreigner I think