Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-05-03
THE ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.

lIs We
denly, aud LEFT widow and two small chill
dren to grupple with the hard fate of pover-
" and remembrance of better days. They
occupied but one room, and as her only EN-
ployment WINS sewing, il was difficult to
make both ends meet with the most untir-
ing industry.
"Dont you think mother" said the little
Ellen who brought home the work, "the
young lady thought she Ought to get the
sllirts made for fifty cents apiece But,
mother, she surely could not have known
what slow process it il, to gnther, hem
stitch, and ruflle, aud all the sewing Just for
a half weeks rent, or she never would have
said So"
The mother brushed tenr away, "No,
child, she never sewed for n living"
"And, mother, she told her sister that she
was so glad TO get rid of the firing work, and
she said her father would never know but
what she did il all, aud she would have City
cents clear on every shirt; what could she
menn?"
Mrs. A. had heard such deception before,
hut she cared not to inform her daughter
that the young lady was probably to receive
one dollar and quarter for each shirt. She
felt that her business was only TO finish her
whole number as soon as possible. She
| Immediately set about the task of cutting
them by the pattern, asserting them into
piles, and getting the palmer parts ready for
Ellen TO hem, as she was very nice IN needle
work, so far as she had learned the art
But il was always near her "school tme,"
and the poor child but liule relieved her
mother.
Ii was Mt that season, too, when the storms
succeeded ench other in rapid succession
aud the heavens are often overcast and, as
the tenement of the widow was badly light
ed, il began TO make sad havoc Of her
vision.
Her eyes were weary from continual use,
and, when the long job was patiently ac-
coniplished who could tell the aches and
pniIis hy which it was all the way attended.
Miss Laudon, in speaking of such poor wo-
men, said:
ave little know how wcarily
The aching head lies down."
Long before the promised time Ellen
carried home the ponderous bundle Of ten
shirts.
Miss Sophia severely scrutinized them
pulling the rrflles, next looking nt the gntll-
ers, then the stitching, and, finally, tossing
them up in heap, added: "Jell your
mother they are worth no more than fifty
cents, aud will give her that, it she will
receipt the bill
The child returned, with heavy heart,
and impaired the information.
The seanlslress wept bittery--she looked
every now aud then upon the picture Oh
the wall.
"lf he were but alive" said she, "Ishould
have some protector from wrong usage."-
She could hut exclaim "IIow nv head
does nche~ as she undid another budget of
work Z" five dollars for ten shirts ought,
thought she, better to vindicate my rights
but they who oppress the poor have the
worst OF it. Here, Ellen, dear, take this bill
for making the shirts, aud bring me back just
what Sophia pleases to give; but sly moth
er has toiled very hard, early aud late, upon
theni."
Ellen did SO, and Sophia took her five dol
lars from her purse, adding: "This is u
great deal of money for poor people to spend
lit will buy number OF silk dresses"
"But mothers rent is due" said the poor
child.
"Pshaw, rent is nothing-make. your
landlord trust you," aud, 50 saying she dart
ed from the room.
The seamstress never closed her eyes that
night. Think you no unseen eye will yindi-
cate her true claim?
"Sophia Ellsworth" said Grace Eaton,
"where did you get that splendid fan? 1t
is really elegant"
81 saved it," replied Sophia, from mon
ey father gave me to make his shirts-but
hired them done at half price, and he never
knows it to this day."
Poor girl! your fan should be used ms n
screen to hide the hard spot in your heart
Prosperity never follows in the footsteps OF
oppression.