The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-04-21
Written for the ADVOCATE
THE STORY OF A LIFE.
(BY coRA wILBuRs.)
CHAPTER XI.


"How long, oh God how long? ?" j. the
heart-wrung cry that ascends 10 heaven
from the pallid lips Of the needlewoman.
Checked shirts made for six and eight cents
piece sewing coffee bags, making man.
tlllas and summer and winter cloaks up for
the so-calIed "slop-shops !" going out by the
day to WELD the torture needle from early
morn till late at night; and after all this
weary toll to count the weeks, aud months,
and years that brought only irkSome over
work and left behind them poverty, this is
to rob life of all its inspiration all to make
impossible the realization of home anu rest.
Ii must be that portion of the Divine
goodness, and purity, and absolute justice,
dwells in the human breast. That the soul
Is formed in the holy semblance Of the wise
creator. For there is in every prayerful,
aspiring heart, the fixed and ever growing
consciousness of right, that will not sell its
birthright for any mess of worldly pottage
Thus, many, a half starved mother, many an
heroic girl-soul has battled bTayely with the
advances Of poverty and sooner than yield
the priceless gem of woman's chastity has
nobly chosen death itself; and in this nine
teenth century that SCOTS at the recital OF
past deeds of greatness, has won the palm
and the crown of martyrdom.
There are shameless, painted women,
Haunting IN rainbow colors and in rich attire
through the streets at midnight syrens
that captivate the eye Of grossness, and lead
into the deep pitfalls Of sensual hells, un-
wary feet and weakened hearts. But once
these were pure girls, toilers at the loom
and at the needle, many OF them; semi-star-
vation, cold, the lack Of almost every earthly
comfort tempted them into the glttering
allurements Of vice. Some went timidly
and faltering, misled by a seeming angel
that borrowed the name Of love- Others
plunged into the abyss with the reckless
haste of desperation. Think you that the
scales of the divine justice are not equally
balanced That the immutable because
god-ordained law of retribution fails even for
this life? That a heinous sin can be com
mltted, yet not react upon the perpetrator
and the society that tolerates it For ever,
shall the road of the transgressor be hard
| knew Of some delcately nurtured and
tender souls, to whom the daily drudgery
with its host Of humiiations was a horror
and torture impossible to describe To
these, affection was the sunlight Of life yet
when its semblance only, its unhallowed
counterfeit WIS offered, though concealed by
sophisuy and decked with all that life can
give Of beauty and Of ease, turned from il
shuddering with true womanly protest, and
folding meek, wan hands over the heart that
vowed renewed allegiance unto truth and
honor, calmly pursued the thorDy pathway
Of most cruel hardships that ended in an
early grave.
| never was tempted for a moment to for
sake the path of virtue, though brilliantly
alluring offers were laid before me- But the
thought of escape through death came often !;
quiet, insiduous temptation that assumed
the garb Of an angel Of deliverance. There
was not only the flowing river wherein with
one bold plunge to end my cares, but there
was the daily prompter in my heart, and at
my elbow, whose alternate names were
apathy and despair.
The total despondency of the spirit, the
utter crushing out of hope; the yielding up
Of energy and effort tbs fixing Of the eyeI
on darkness, never caring to search more
for the light; all this Is suicidal, though i'll
is slower process than that of the poisoned
cup, CT death-dealing dagger, it is as sure
and God will not hold those guiltless, who
denying His ever-present help, cannsl bear
the burdens He imposes but who rush in
blindness and bewilderment of soul, into the
immortal world, there TO find the home of
the spirit unprepared for them.
Time was when a slice OF bread and cup
of milk was all l could obtain for breakfast
or for SUPPER; when | sat in my cheerless
room in the chilly March air without fire
the work came in but slowly, and so great
was the competition among sewing-women
they monopoIized =. labor, even at the
lowest prices.
But they were compelled to this by the
pressure OF stern necessity for women
whose husbands earned a bountiful liveli-
hood in the various avenues Of trade ;;
women, whose time should have been devot-
ed to the care Of their growing children, to-
the cultivation Of their own minds through
reading and soc al intercourse these horsc
mothers, with total disregard of the claims
of sympathy, underbid their toiling sisters II
and for the sake Of dress and ornament,
worked for less pay than could the anxio is
laborer who had no sustaining hand Of hLs-
band, father or brother. to provide shelter,
food and clothing. SELF" was the watch
word Of those that took the very bread out
Of the nouths Of the needy. Men possessed
Of the sense Of justice would never give to
those in easy circumstances the labor that is
the daily bread Of the poor. But then, the
women who sews only for pin money, can OF
course afford to do it so much cheaper
| have seen good-natured Irish and Ger
man girls thus imposed upon, by ladies en-
gaging them Cor household work.
HYol viii have the washing. ironing, aa1
cpoLing to do for seven. never help my
girls any you must make up all the beds
ana keep the rooms in order, and am very
particular about the house. may once in