The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-11

Do that How much were you able to make every
weski'
"Paid well !" said the poor woman, with lool
o surprise al was paid nfty cents for i've shirts"
"That is, fifty cents each n
mo, sir but ten cents apiece
"How many Of them could you make in day ~
"wsll, sir, if sat steady at them from morning
Gil night could sometimes make three in day
but was not able to keep up at that rate ard there
were many days that would not be able TO earn
more than shilling day"
"How many hours did you work TO make that"
About ten, and sometimes twelve, hours day;
but had besides that to attend to my house and my
children Ny eldest little grl-she is about twelve
years old-used to help me. When had the rheums-
6sm don't know what would have become Of me
II Miss 8. hadn't found me out and given me some
assistance. She was very good to me; | would never
have been able to get along without her, and know
abe has done great deal Of good to more than me,
and viii always feel thankful for it,
The poor woman was deeply affected by the re-
membrancs of the kindness and assistance Of this
benevolent lady, who, we venture to say, has, with
out the slightest ostentaton, done more real good
han some OF so-caled benevolent institutions. 1t
would be well for the poor if there were many like
her, but such unaffected benevolence is very rare.
"Well, sir" resumed the poor woman, Il could
not get along at this work. so had to give it up"
told the lady who attended in the store that unless
she gave me something else should never be able
to support myself and my children-and indeed sir,
we were on the brink Of starvation at that time.
told her that wanted some other kind of work and
80 she gave me sheets to stitch. and some pillow
cases. They were very heavy linen sheets for the
double berths Of ships, and she told me to make
them very neat, saying that she would give me
. good price. She didn't tell me the price
1t the time, but / thought it would be better
chan got for the shirts. Igot dozen altogether;
but as / was in very necesstous circumstances,
could not wait to make whole dozen, and had to
send in the half dozen by my little girl. l thought
would get high price for them, and was very hope
full indeed, on account of her having told SO; but
when my little girl came back, and told me that
she would not give more than two and sixpence for
the dozen, and that she had got no more than fifteen
psnce, my heart was nearly ready to break.
worked hard at them sheets because / expected
would be well paid for them, and I made them as
neat as could and took great with the stitch
ing. But when my little girl said that was all she
got, l didn't know what to do. At last went down
myself to know if she wouldn't give me any more,
telling her that l couldn't make living in that way;
but instead of giving me any more she abused me
In the most scandalous manner Then I was so
vexed, that said she shouldn't get the other half
dozen until she paid me fair price for what had
done; and, sir you were just to see the work, you
would say that they were cheap at two shillings
pair, instead of two and sixpence dozen.
'How much could you earn every week, sewing
sheets like these!''
81 could not live at all, at this work. it would take
two days to make half dosen.''
"But you must have had some other means Of sup
port; surely you could not maintain yourself and
family when you were paid so poorly
81 had no other way but that, at the time; but
have had to give up needlework altogether, and
now wash for living. ge. along better at this,
although don't make much over two dollars any
week. During the winter l found it very hard to
manage and if had not got some fuel for fire from
the Almshouse, in the Park, and dollar a month";
besides what some good friends gave me, myself and
family would have starved to death. Some time
ago fell down the stairs and was so bruised that
could not work for some weeks"
"But your little girl we suggested, "could she
not obtain employment in some of the workrooms
down town? She would be able to earn at least
dollar week, and that would be great assistance
al did try that, and had her at work in fancy
box store in Pearl street, and was in great hopes
that we would after little while, be more comfort
able but after she had been there four i've weeks,
they refused to pay her at ALL"
"How long were you working for the shirt store?"
81 think it was about four or five months altoge-
fher, and during that time / did not average more
than dollar week. That was more than year
snce and then they gave better prices than they do
now. But don't complain Of the poor pay only
they used to abuse my child so when she brought
the work to them. One time sent q half dozen Of
shirts down to them, and they were very neatly
stitched but the woman who attended in the store
sauced my child, and told her that they were so
badly done she would have to take them back.
man who was standing by looked at them, and
said he thought they were very well stitched,
indeed, and called another to look at it but
she intsrfered between them, got quite angry, and
told him it was none Of his business. So she sent
them back after ripping the gussets. (Ths is
triangular piece that goes on the shoulder to make
II sit rightly After thinking what should do con-
Guided to 20 to my friend Miss S., and tell her all
about it; so / went to her. and when told her she
WAS greatly dullOyeut duu slic WVdiu ~ it5ut
down and take the shirts herself l thought it bet
ter, however, to let the child take them, and this
time the woman said they were well done, because
there were persons in the store who knew me-"
"Could you make as much at the shirts as you
could at any other kind of needlework which you
obtained at the storein
"No, sir; when got them, made more at pillow
cases and towels. ] could make dollar and half
a week at them, working steadily from eight or nine
o'clock in tie morning till twelve at night, but it
was only once in while that could get them"
How many rooms have you for yourself and five
children
"Three altogether, but they are all very small and
] get them for five dollars month"
We were shown these rooms. They were in the
attic, and though small, they were kept very neat
and clean. The only really valuable piece Of flrni
ture which we saw was stove, and that we were