Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/428

Rh dismissed. From the prisoners' room we went into the court where the five-days' prisoners sit during the day after they have slept out their debauch. Here between forty and fifty women were assembled, many of whom were quite young, and some handsome. Among these women were also female vagrants, or such as had been taken up for quarrelling and making disturbances in the streets during the night. One of these, a very young and pretty woman, wept bitterly. Mrs. G. spoke kindly to her, and asked her whether she would not come into the home (meaning the home in New York for fallen women), and there be well cared for, and receive instruction, and afterwards be placed in service with some respectable family. She gratefully accepted the offer, and the whole thing was at once arranged. As soon as her five days of imprisonment had expired she was to be received into the home. Thus is the lost sheep sought for among the tombs, and brought again under the care of the good shepherd and his faithful servants.

The same question was put by Mrs. G. to another young woman, a handsome but wild Irish girl. She replied scornfully; “no! she would not go to such a place!” “Why not?” inquired Mrs. G., smiling kindly, “is it not a good place?” “Oh yes, ma'am, a very good place, very good, but —— yet I won't go there.”

That wild spirit evidently required a long trial yet before it would yield.

There also were two young negro-women; I asked one if she were a Christian?

“No, ma'am,” replied she.

“Have you not heard of Christ?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Don't you love him?”

“Yes, oh yes, him, but —— I have seen many things, I cannot become a Christian.”

“But why not, if you love Christ?”