New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-01-30
Baby seamstresses.

We take from the EngIishman's Journal some
part of record of experience that will tell some
thing new of life to many Of our readers. A dirty
paper in dirty window Of court advertised for
several little girls about five or six years of age,
that were "kick = at the hemming. Other such
papers had been observed, and the writer made up
her mind to see the little girls" Ascent was
made to particular garrett
1t was small and very wretched apartment,
containing bed and one chair, the seat of author
ity. There was no table, but there were three low
FORMS which were perpetually tumbling over, and
on these forms were seated clever little girls
the four on the front form could hardly, any of
Them have seen six years, one OF them was going
of fYe.' The four behind were about seven, per-
haps, and there was one vesy well behaved girl on
the hindermost seat who might be ten, and TWO
others year or two younger. The eldest girl had
evidently all the fixing and all the responsibility,
and was the only one among the number that had
money remuneration; she also had the taking in
They on sops;' the little things on the front
form doing the hemming, while the others were
steadily at work on band and gusset and seam.f
Perfect silence was the rule but the little hem
mers were continually transgressing it. They all
seemed in the utmost distress; one declaring with
many tears, that somebody had made her lose her
needle; the accused protesting that she didn't
make her lose it, for she lost it her own self and
SO that was story that she had told! Then
another complained that q neighbor had said,
tshe hadn't done the most, and the ncighbor
wouldn't measure.n The poor old woman had
scarcely pacied them when the little girl .tgong
Of five, perfectly cleanly, lovable, kissable lit
tie creature, burst forth with q most grieyous
lamentation, because somebody behind had said
that her father was transported, and he was mt
transported, because he had gone in bootful
sipn Hereupon the old woman threatened to
"bang'' the offender, and she confirmed the story
oil the "bootful sip.' But the wicked girl con-
tinued to nod persistently the little thing looked
over her shoulder. Then followed another burst
IF griaf for she had said so apain.'i
And now the old woman proceeded to execute
her threat, to bang the tormentor. The opera
ton was quite orthodox, grandmotherly affair,
after which there was temporary silence. The
little morsel, we were grieyed to see, had hemmed
nearly yard of calico in the neatest manner, but
all along there were crimson specks of blood,
showing how sadly the little finger must have been
pierced. In recompense for her industry, she was
permitted for few moments to contemplate the
PROJECTIONS of a new little oekethandkerehief on
which was an inscription and illustration Of Hoop
de dooden do and then her little eyelids dropped.
Oblivion gently stealing the image OF the gro.
tesque figure on the handkerchief and the image
of the torturing shirt, and withdrawing all the
dreary surroundings Of misery. The expression of
petulance and pain relaxed; she was asleep.
Intelligence of this fact was instantly reported,
but the old woman gracioasly permitted her few
minutes declaring that she was worth two of the
informer, and would get her task done first.
For the making of the shirt Of which this baby
did the hemming a whole days hard work Of
course, and which had also expended on it another
DAYS cruel labor on band and gnsset, and seam,
the old woman received twopence halfpenny or, in
the phraseology Of the trade, the little girls were
on Stops at half dozen. The mothers
were out in the city, most Of Them at least, at va
rious kinds of employment, and were glad to have
their children taken care Of and taught to sew be-
sides. The old woman made them each q mug of
warm coffee during the day, and took care they
didn't eat all their victuals at once. They hadn't
half enough to eat. We inquired how the good
woman would find room for several additional
hands. She explained that some of the older girls
were going to work with their methers that the
hemmers would be promoted to band, etc. The
little sleeper to be one of those so promoted. She
wanted twoor three little uns for the hemming
but they were always so slow at first, they did no
thing but adjust their thrables and lose their
dies; they were more trouble than use at FIRST
however, they soon got to be useful, thought it OPP
peared that some unprneipled mothers Withdrew
them soon as they began to be useful and coul'
| thread their own needless Indeed one haral.
knew whether the poor old woman or the it'll
seamstresses were most to be pitied.
KEEP WARM AND LOOK NEAT, and any one ma
and look who has small Amount Of money