Safeguarding the Girls' Morals 201 



1. The social companionships of girls. Of course 

 it must be admitted that there is frequently present 

 in the country neighborhood some vile or wicked 

 young character whose influence is very pernicious. 

 On one occasion this person may appear in the guise 

 of an exemplary young man, smooth in manners, 

 stylishly dressed, and apparently interested in the 

 best affairs. But as a matter of fact, he may be 

 secretly an agent for some infamous institution in the 

 city. The records show that thousands of country 

 girls have been enticed away to the cities by such 

 characters only to meet an untimely and awful fate. 

 The parents of the country girl should therefore know 

 who the young man is with whom she keeps company. 

 Usually it is a comparatively easy matter to test his 

 worth. If he have no fixed local attachment in a 

 home, and no permanent business relations in the 

 community, he may be regarded with suspicion at 

 least, and may be compelled to furnish evidence of his 

 moral integrity. 



Another type of the young country man unworthy 

 of the company and companionship of the young 

 woman is the one who is known by the men of the 

 community as being habituated to the use of vile 

 and indecent language, or to the practice of drinking 

 intoxicants. If such be among his known char- 

 acteristics, the evidence is decidedly unfavorable, 

 making him unsuitable as a social companion of the 

 country girl. It is reasonable to predict that he will 



