es these autumn evenings, think of these
bitter and friendless children of the poor, in the great city. But few
have such eloquent expressions as this poor girl, yet all inarticulately
feel.

"There are sad histories beneath this gay world--lives over which is the
very shadow of death. God be thanked, there is a Heart which feels for
them all, where every pang and groan will find a sympathy, which will
one day right the wrong, and bring back the light over human life.

"The day is short for us all; but for some it will be a pleasant
thought, when we come to lay down our heads at last, that we have eased
a few aching hearts, and brought peace and new hope to the dark lives of
those whom men had forgotten or cast out."

[Illustration: THE STREET-GIRL'S END.]

CHAPTER XI.

LEGAL TREATMENT OF PROSTITUTES.

SHOULD LICENSES BE ALLOWED?

The question of the best mode of legally controlling the great evil of
prostitution, and confining its bad physical effects, is a very
difficult one.

The merely philosophical inquirer, or even the physician, regarding
humanity "in the broad," comes naturally to the conclusion that this
offense is one of the inevitable evils which always have followed, and
always will follow, the track of civilization; that it is to be looked
upon, like small-pox or scarlet fever, as a disease of civilized man,
and is to be treated accordingly, by physical and scientific means, and
must be controlled, as it cannot be uprooted, by legislation. Or they
regard it as they do intoxication, as the effect of a misdirected
natural desire, which is everywhere thought to be a legitimate object
both of permission or recognition by government, as well as of check by
rigid laws.

If medical men, their minds are almost exclusively directed toward the
frightful effects on society and upon the innocent, of the diseases
which attend this offense. They see that legislation would at once check
the ravages from these terrible maladies, and that a system of licenses
such as is practiced in the Continental cities would prevent them from
spreading through society and punishing those who had never sinned. As
scientific healers of human maladies, they feel that anything is a gain
which lessens human suffering, controls disease, and keeps up the
general health of the community. Their position, too, has been
strengthened by the foolish and superstit