Edith Elder: The Girl Who Rejoiced in Murder

In Victorian times, reputation was everything; to ruin a woman, a rumor not even need be true, and attacking her purity or morals, was the worst one could do. Her reputation not only affected her family, but her future. Marriage was the pivot point for any young girl’s life. If she chose to give up her purity to man prior to marriage she was considered impure. For the marriage to not take place, would shame her indefinitely. God forbid, that she would contract some sort of disease, as that would make her basically destitute and unable to live her life.