Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-02-04
FAIR PROFITS AND LIVING WAGES.

Ing, said little Mrs. Clinton as she tueked n
clean white handkerchief into her husband q
Poeket, handed him his hat, and came and set
tied his collar to her satisfaction previous IN
his going down town one morning after break.
fast. 'i'aA-
More money! And what new fun adiddIe
Is wanted now" asked the husband. draw,no
l0rth his pOrtmonnaie, and trying to assume q
playfully savage look.
On, you needn't try to frighten me into re-
uueIns Ihe demand was about to make to the
very lowest terms l can manage with: am NOT
gong to draw very heavily upon your bank
tnls time; only want a couple OF dollars; and
tne numAdIddles very necessary to the COM
iort and appearance Of your honorable self -
dnd the little witch chucked his whiskered
cn4h 50 saucIiy, and smiled so RiSchievously,
mat has stern features relaxed from their rs.
sumed gravity, and he resumed his wonted
bearing OF quiet gentleness as he laid a bank
Diii upon the table, and snatchins a good nv
KISS, hurried from the room
Oh George. George ~ called his wife, run.
nlns after BIN into the hall, please let me
nave JUST Hnat asked for, it will not be con-
Venient to mako change, know; / only want
two dollars; can't you let me have it?'
les' put thought you might find use for
Ine otner three, so | gave you 4 five you can
ges IL changed and keep the rest till yoa want
But 1 am not going out shopping this morn
ius want TO pay Mrs. Grey for the sewing
sne mas been doing for me ; she brought home
pair OF shirts last night and said she would
hke the pay now If convenient; did not have
enough money by me but told her TO call his
morning for it. know she needs it.
put You don't give her two dollars for
msAipg par OF shirts, hope why, bless
me child that is throwing money away',
That is what she asks; never gave that
much befOre-but then would not dispute te her
price, OF course. / told her that il was more
man was accustomed to give, and she said
that she wished she could afford to do il for
any less, but she really could not"
Nonsense. not afford to- means not get
ilcn oy IL suppose the trouble with these
IabOrlng people is they want to lay up money,
when they ought only to expect a good living !;
why, Lizzie, we cannot live and nav sucb
prices for our work; why, with our shopwork
now We set our own prices, and our hands
nave 10 abide by them; pretty pass things
"ouiu come 70 II we let every upstart tailoress
or seamstress set her own price upon her work I,
why We get all the shirts made we can sell.
made Tor twenty-five cents apiece
Oh, out how are they made George? You
Ano" those tnat you had from the shop before
we were married they were just run together
IN the slightest manner. had openipg seams
70 close button holes to work over, and but
TONS 70 sew on, till L do believe lust about
made those things over anew before ths cloth
wore out, and, besides you furnished ready
made ooso oms, and that makes a great differ
ence IL Is so close work and very tryiuy to
the eyes to stitch a shirt bosom Dear me.
mad rather be whipped than to do such work
any now, aud II Mrs. Grey does charge rather
hlgn prices I'm sure | would rather nav her
than undertake the task myself: and he saws
30 neatly, tco; know she took pains with the
WORK every stitch is set just as it should be -
Well, here are two dollars, but Lizzie it is
TOO much to pay would BOT employ her any
more; there are others who will work cheaper.
and II she cannot afford 10, am afraid she
VIII have TO moderate her desires a little, or
she Will Dot get much work ut such prices"
mrs. Clinton stood musing for a few mo-
ments alter the door was closed upon her bus-
band she slipped the two one dollar bills
through her fingers, fOlled them up together,
then opened them, aud spread them out again,
reioided them separately, and at last took out
her purse and emptying out the change count
ei 1t over and solilOquizing all the while: a.
Could make out dollar and half and that's
All ought TO give suppose, all that seam
stresses generally ask; then | will have this
other bill, and some change besides to show
Heorge' and be will give me credit for more
business tact than he supposed NE capable Of
es, L know she asks too much L will int
let her see that | know what a thing Is worth
myself. must try and be more saving I
an TOO lavish IN my expenditures I know. |
wonder what Georgs meant by saying that we
could not live and pay such prices Oh dear
am AFRAID L am calling on him too much for
money 70 Guy tninss with, and pay servants,
aad, and, L hardly know what do with il an
out do use good deal in one way and an
otner. But he talks Of enlarging his bu usiuess
and hoard him tell bis partner the other day
lnst they were making larger profits than any
other frm in the city Oh dear well, don't
know much about such things, but 1 don't
mean to throw away money after this. | will
mn IN
that must be her ring at SO early an hour, now
must DO dighIied :" and Mrs Clinton went
into the parlor to await her visitor.
It's Mrs. Gray, shall show her in ~ said
Biddy, putting her head in at the parIor door,
6eiorsshe answered the bell, ''or Shall | tell
her you are engaged 20
Show her in Biddy I told her TO call
Good morning Mrs Gray! You are taking
Mrs. Gray seated herself with the air of one
who Is weary, yet cannot stay to rest, she was
slightly embarrassed for she was in haste to be
on her homesard way, yet she felt a little del
lclcy about naming the subject of her call.
She hoped Mrs Clinton would speak of il frst.
and felt relieved when after a few remarks
upon the weather and kind inquiries after the
health OF her family, the lady drew forth her
purse, and smiling very sweetly, said
suppose you would like the pay for your
work, Mrs Gray, think / can make ii out
AVe SfNAc luSI evening Oh ask
ing two dollars; il is too much, Mrs. Grey-
more than you can expect for shirt-makine;
more than ever gave before; believe 4 dol
lar and halfis the most ever gave for ms king
set OF shirts" Mrs. Clinton was trying 10
look very digniAed. She wore bland smile,
and strOye to speak calmly, but il was too
much Tor her, with those clear, mournful eyes
resting upon her, as if reading an unjust SEN
tence In her countenance; the muscles around
her mouth would not be starched into stiffness
Her cheeks flushed, and her eye fell, and her
own srtreproached her for an act of cannes.
She saw herself haggling with poor woman
over half dollar-she, who thought nothing
OF paying five dollars for n triiing article Of
dress, or Of laying out twice that sum in a
present for friend. She wished she had not
begun, but now that she had, she knew not
bow to stop, she sat still, rolling up the half
dollar IN its accompanying bill, and fastening
her purse upon the remainder Of its contents
and all the while elf-justifeation whispered
10 her conscience: 1t is the principle of the
IL