Excerpt from The White Slave Market

My little children are Very Sweet. They laugh and play, and when I look at them and hear them I feel that the normal, quiet, simple life that a woman in fairly easy cir cumstances can lead is the natural and whole some one to have; and that a perfect home with beautiful, happy children, loyal people to serve one, loving friends, opportunities of pleasant social service, and a possibility Of forgetting all ugly things are apt to make one want to hold them so dearly as to resent disagreeable duties outside. And surely these are precious and satisfying gifts! One would be inclined to think that only fools would hold them lightly. I hold them very dear. For many years my life has not been easy, and I have knowledge - the Very memory Of which wakes Old pains and terrible un happiness - not for myself, for I have in many ways been blessed, but for others long passed out Of my sight and lost, with whom I travelled a little while in poverty and pain, some Of whom were kind to me, and to some Of whom, thank God, I was able to hold out a helping hand. And I Often feel now that I would like to forget all those pains Of poverty and injustice I suffered for others, and be happy and quiet and at peace watch ing my flowers grow and my children unfold their lovely minds, progressing each towards what I pray God may be a glorious con summation Of life.

Into the quietude and peace Of this little sheltered, lovely place has come a horrid messenger of pain. A little time ago a letter reached me from the publisher who is now issuing this book, begging that I would join Mr. Willis in the production Of it. The publisher put before me the social duty, and the flattering but inconvenient reminder that the British public know me well and respect me, and that thousands in this country love me for some small service which it has been my happy fortune to render to my fellow creatures who have been less happily placed than I am. He said, There is no one in this country who could present these terrible facts to the public as you could without Offending them - without antagonising them; yet SO truthfully and strongly that they would want to do something to help. I replied that I did not feel inclined to embark upon this Work. The subject with which he wished me to deal is one that I have tried to avoid, because what I kncw Of it is SO terrible, and so agonising, and so far-reach ing that I have really felt impotent to do anything. All that is sweet and clean and lovely, all that is hopeful and tender and gracious appeals to me, as it does to all women who are natural. I had not hither to been able to see that it was my duty to touch a horrible thing which I cannot kill or eliminate; therefore, I refused to have anything to do with this work.

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