A Double Standard.

A Double Standard.

Do you blame me that I loved him?If when standing all aloneI cried for bread a careless worldPressed to my lips a stone.Do you blame me that I loved him,That my heart beat glad and free,When he told me in the sweetest tonesHe loved but only me?Can you blame me that I did not seeBeneath his burning kissThe serpent’s wiles, nor even hearThe deadly adder hiss?Can you blame me that my heart grew coldThat the tempted, tempter turned;When he was feted and caressedAnd I was coldly spurned?Would you blame him, when you draw from meYour dainty robes aside,If he with gilded baits should claimYour fairest as his bride?Would you blame the world if it should pressOn him a civic crown;And see me struggling in the depthThen harshly press me down?Crime has no sex and yet to-dayI wear the brand of shame;Whilst he amid the gay and proudStill bears an honored name.Can you blame me if I’ve learned to thinkYour hate of vice a sham,When you so coldly crushed me downAnd then excused the man?Would you blame me if to-morrowThe coroner should say,A wretched girl, outcast, forlorn,Has thrown her life away?Yes, blame me for my downward course,But oh! remember well,Within your homes you press the handThat led me down to hell.I’m glad God’s ways are not our ways,He does not see as man;Within His love I know there’s roomFor those whom others ban.I think before His great white throne,His throne of spotless light,That whited sepulchres shall wearThe hue of endless night.That I who fell, and he who sinned,Shall reap as we have sown;That each the burden of his lossMust bear and bear alone.No golden weights can turn the scaleOf justice in His sight;And what is wrong in woman’s lifeIn man’s cannot be right.

Do you blame me that I loved him?If when standing all aloneI cried for bread a careless worldPressed to my lips a stone.Do you blame me that I loved him,That my heart beat glad and free,When he told me in the sweetest tonesHe loved but only me?Can you blame me that I did not seeBeneath his burning kissThe serpent’s wiles, nor even hearThe deadly adder hiss?Can you blame me that my heart grew coldThat the tempted, tempter turned;When he was feted and caressedAnd I was coldly spurned?Would you blame him, when you draw from meYour dainty robes aside,If he with gilded baits should claimYour fairest as his bride?Would you blame the world if it should pressOn him a civic crown;And see me struggling in the depthThen harshly press me down?Crime has no sex and yet to-dayI wear the brand of shame;Whilst he amid the gay and proudStill bears an honored name.Can you blame me if I’ve learned to thinkYour hate of vice a sham,When you so coldly crushed me downAnd then excused the man?Would you blame me if to-morrowThe coroner should say,A wretched girl, outcast, forlorn,Has thrown her life away?Yes, blame me for my downward course,But oh! remember well,Within your homes you press the handThat led me down to hell.I’m glad God’s ways are not our ways,He does not see as man;Within His love I know there’s roomFor those whom others ban.I think before His great white throne,His throne of spotless light,That whited sepulchres shall wearThe hue of endless night.That I who fell, and he who sinned,Shall reap as we have sown;That each the burden of his lossMust bear and bear alone.No golden weights can turn the scaleOf justice in His sight;And what is wrong in woman’s lifeIn man’s cannot be right.

Do you blame me that I loved him?If when standing all aloneI cried for bread a careless worldPressed to my lips a stone.

Do you blame me that I loved him?

If when standing all alone

I cried for bread a careless world

Pressed to my lips a stone.

Do you blame me that I loved him,That my heart beat glad and free,When he told me in the sweetest tonesHe loved but only me?

Do you blame me that I loved him,

That my heart beat glad and free,

When he told me in the sweetest tones

He loved but only me?

Can you blame me that I did not seeBeneath his burning kissThe serpent’s wiles, nor even hearThe deadly adder hiss?

Can you blame me that I did not see

Beneath his burning kiss

The serpent’s wiles, nor even hear

The deadly adder hiss?

Can you blame me that my heart grew coldThat the tempted, tempter turned;When he was feted and caressedAnd I was coldly spurned?

Can you blame me that my heart grew cold

That the tempted, tempter turned;

When he was feted and caressed

And I was coldly spurned?

Would you blame him, when you draw from meYour dainty robes aside,If he with gilded baits should claimYour fairest as his bride?

Would you blame him, when you draw from me

Your dainty robes aside,

If he with gilded baits should claim

Your fairest as his bride?

Would you blame the world if it should pressOn him a civic crown;And see me struggling in the depthThen harshly press me down?

Would you blame the world if it should press

On him a civic crown;

And see me struggling in the depth

Then harshly press me down?

Crime has no sex and yet to-dayI wear the brand of shame;Whilst he amid the gay and proudStill bears an honored name.

Crime has no sex and yet to-day

I wear the brand of shame;

Whilst he amid the gay and proud

Still bears an honored name.

Can you blame me if I’ve learned to thinkYour hate of vice a sham,When you so coldly crushed me downAnd then excused the man?

Can you blame me if I’ve learned to think

Your hate of vice a sham,

When you so coldly crushed me down

And then excused the man?

Would you blame me if to-morrowThe coroner should say,A wretched girl, outcast, forlorn,Has thrown her life away?

Would you blame me if to-morrow

The coroner should say,

A wretched girl, outcast, forlorn,

Has thrown her life away?

Yes, blame me for my downward course,But oh! remember well,Within your homes you press the handThat led me down to hell.

Yes, blame me for my downward course,

But oh! remember well,

Within your homes you press the hand

That led me down to hell.

I’m glad God’s ways are not our ways,He does not see as man;Within His love I know there’s roomFor those whom others ban.

I’m glad God’s ways are not our ways,

He does not see as man;

Within His love I know there’s room

For those whom others ban.

I think before His great white throne,His throne of spotless light,That whited sepulchres shall wearThe hue of endless night.

I think before His great white throne,

His throne of spotless light,

That whited sepulchres shall wear

The hue of endless night.

That I who fell, and he who sinned,Shall reap as we have sown;That each the burden of his lossMust bear and bear alone.

That I who fell, and he who sinned,

Shall reap as we have sown;

That each the burden of his loss

Must bear and bear alone.

No golden weights can turn the scaleOf justice in His sight;And what is wrong in woman’s lifeIn man’s cannot be right.

No golden weights can turn the scale

Of justice in His sight;

And what is wrong in woman’s life

In man’s cannot be right.


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