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PLEAS 209
ment will compel employers to both pay their
women well and to house them well, we cannot
possibly hope that prostitution in its entirety
will cease. As long as women are cheap, so
long will prostitution flourish. Of course,
" "
the profession offers many inducements to
women. About five years ago a friend of
mine told me of a girl who came to her
mistress, a lady of title, whom she had served
for some years, and said to her, "My lady,
"
I wish to give notice to leave." Oh," said
"
the lady, are you going to be married ? "
"No," said the girl, "I am not going to
be married." "Well," said the lady, "I do
not wish to interfere with your business ;
but are you going to a fresh situation, or is
there any reason why you should leave my
services ? You have always seemed very happy
here." "Well," blurted out the girl, "I
am not going to work any more. I am going
to become a
"
fallen woman." Good heavens !
what on earth is that ? " asked the mistress.
"Well, my lady," said the servant, "it is
this way. My sister, she is a fallen woman,
and she lives like a lady. She has silk
stockings and silk petticoats, and she earns
from eight to fifteen pounds a week. That
is why I want to be a fallen woman too."
No persuasion could affect her. Of course,
her mistress would have thought it extremely
at all to tell the
shocking and not the thing
girl the price she would ultimately have to
pay for her way of life ! The girl could only
see the present, and as she was young, good-
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