Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-09-06
11opnIar Gale.
From the Flag of our Union.
THE OPPRESSED sEAMSTRESs.
BY MRS. E. wELLMoNT.

Some people seem to have an idea that
they pay too much for everything, and it
is positive duty to employ those who
will work the cheapest.
Mrs. Ellsworth lived very sumptuous-
ly, and her daughters dressed very ele-
gantiy. We wont call them extrayagant,
because people vino have plenty Of money
are not obliged to give an account to
.heir neighbors of their expenditures.
They were, however, discussing this
very subject themselves upon the damask
lounges, when the servant man entered
and presented the seamstress' bill. Such
nicely folded paper always attracted the
family's attention, and having looked at
the bottom and seen the amount, and ex-
claimed, "dear me how high" they
proceeded to examine the contents of the
bundle which accompanied the bill.
"The work is done beautifully" said
Miss Henrietta; chow superbly this lace
is set on. How splendidly this is hem
stitched. l declare, mother, l never
mean to do any work myself, again. it is
so much better than | can make it look /"
"But you forget" said the mother, sit
costs a great deal to hire all our sewing
for large ia mily, if it be done ever SO
cheap" yet she felt herself that it was
very pleasant to have garments SO made.
II wonder" said Sophia, tall, grace
full girl of sixteen, to the little waiting
seamstress in the entry, "what you
would charge to make papa ten shirts
I have engaged to have them done by
the first day of May, and it is SO long a
job, and 20 vexatious, wish l could
transfer them to you to finish"
The child was sent home to inquire oil
her mother what she should charge to
make ten shirts with full bosoms, hem
stitched each side, and ruffled, of the incest
fabric, and workmanship to correspond.
The little girl returned and artlessly
replied:
"Mother says as how she shall charge
dollar but if the young folks said they
wouldn't give it, rather than lose the job,
she would say seventy-fve cents apieceP
Amused with simplicity which ought
to have excited sympathy rather than
merriment, Sophia pretended that seven
ty-fve cents was all she expected to give;
she had hoped to get them done for fifty
cents. Mrs. Fuller gave only that; but
she did not add Mrs. F's shirts were un-
bleached, and very common work was
put in them. After some hesitancy she
brought them down, and doing up large
bundle despatched it to the seamstress,
adding:
Now my poor head and my eyes are
relieved"
But let us see to whom this burden
was transferred. The same seamstresi
once had husband who was a prosper.
Gus merchant, but he speculated unwise.
ly, died suddenly, and left widow with
two small children to grapple with the
hard fate Of poverty, and the remem'
brance Of "better days" They occu
pied but one room, and as her only em
ployment was sewing, it was difficult t.
make both ends meet, with the most IN
firing industry.
Don't you think, mother, " said littl'
Ellen, who brought home the work, "th'
young lady thought she ought to get th'
shirts made for fifty cents apiece. But
mother, she surely could not have known
what slow process it is to gather, and
hemstitch, and ruffie, and do all the sew
ing just for half weeks rent, or she
never would have said So"
The mother brushed a tear away. "No
child, she never sewed for living"
And, mother, she told her sistei
that she was so glad to get rid Of The