FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160  
161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   >>  
bility to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to a fine not exceeding $500, or to both." If that law failed because of what would pass as proof to the contrary, at any rate there was the further provision that the children could be removed to places of safety, at least to the Refuge. "A girl found living in or frequenting a brothel shall be deemed to be a girl who is being trained for immoral purposes." And "The Protector, if on due inquiry he is satisfied that any girl is being ... trained for such purposes, and that such girl is under the age of sixteen years, may ... order such girl to be removed to a place of safety," etc., etc. The way seemed perfectly clear under such laws, to secure the safety of the children. At the door of the Refuge we were glad to escape from our jinrikshas into the cool shade of the house. The Matron seemed much troubled, and spoke of things that she had not understood previously, but now that she had learned many things from our investigations and from her own questioning of the girls, they had taken on a painful meaning to her. Our hearts grew heavier and heavier as we talked together. The Matron, said: "Why, I thought when I came here it was to do a regular Christian work for these girls. That was my purpose, but the more I inquire into the matter, and study over the things I am expected to do and ask no questions, such as sending girls over to the Lock Hospital at the Chief Inspector's request, the more I feel that I am being worked for purposes of which I cannot approve. I cannot stay here." At last we got to ask her about her talk with the Inspector. "What did he say when you told him what we discovered the other night--that little girls go freely to the Licensed Eating Houses, and live in the brothels?" "Is it really true that the authorities have been deceived, and did not know of this flagrant violation of the Ordinance to protect women and girls?" The Matron's face was sadly troubled. She gazed at us a moment quietly, and then said: "He told me, Why, of course he knew about those children. There were scores of them." "But will he do nothing about the matter?" we exclaimed. She replied: "He said: 'What can I do? I caught a whole handful of them once and sent them to the Lock Hospital, and had them all examined. The doctor pronounced them all virgins, so I could do nothing as yet, and I let them all go back.'" We uttered exclamations of horror. "A h
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160  
161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   >>  



Top keywords:

Matron

 

children

 

purposes

 

safety

 

things

 

exceeding

 

heavier

 

Hospital

 
matter
 

Refuge


removed
 

troubled

 

Inspector

 
trained
 

freely

 
Licensed
 
Eating
 

Houses

 

worked

 

approve


discovered

 

request

 
caught
 

handful

 
replied
 

scores

 

exclaimed

 

examined

 
doctor
 

uttered


exclamations

 

horror

 

pronounced

 

virgins

 

deceived

 

flagrant

 

violation

 

authorities

 
Ordinance
 
protect

quietly

 

moment

 

brothels

 

hearts

 

immoral

 

Protector

 

deemed

 

living

 

frequenting

 

brothel