Tiny nit:
I still remember vividly the first time I was addressed as "ma'am." I remember exactly where I was, and what I was wearing (right down to the shoes), and how I was wearing my hair, because I had immediately taken a rather panicked inventory of what could possibly have given that person the impression that I, at age 21, was no longer young enough to be addressed as "miss." I had never considered myself vain about my appearance, but my shocked reaction clearly indicated otherwise.
My point is that men trying to ingratiate themselves with an unknown woman to seek a favor (or a handout) tend to worry that addressing her as "ma'am" is the same as telling her she's old. To avoid any danger of offending her (and thus reducing the chances she'll do the requested favor), they tend to address all unknown women as "miss." Particularly women who are young enough to be referred to as a "girl," as this one was earlier in the poem.
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