The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-08-01
Miseries and Mysteries of Sewing Women


A correspondent of the WatcbmGn and
Reflector is presenting some pictures of life
among the lowly in New York, some of
which are enough to cause any friend of
humanity to weep as well as tIemble, IN
view OF Tile temptations to which thousands
IT Innocent but unfortunate CUES are EXPOS
ed
Last week | gave description of every
day life OF one of thirty thousand sewing
girls Of New York. snail this week pre-
sent another picture "a different phase OF
the same sad lte-for the contemplation OF
the phlauthropis6 and the Christian.
One day there came into my Office a girl
whom had known when she was a little
child light hearted and happy, on her faith
er'o farm in New Jersey. Misfortune over.
took her father and she was eventually left
an orphan. Having an uncle in New York
she caune here to live They were in good
circumstances aud made Minnie welcome;
but few months later the uncle was lea
into speculation and lost everything he had
In tins position of affairs Minnie sought for
employment and found it: but such employ
menu She came to me; having learned my
Whereabouts, TO solicit aid. She was nov
eighteen years old and remarkably beauti-
Tul. 1t was pteous to listen to her story.
Il get up at SIX O'clock" in substance
''dress myself III the cold, eat monthful of
something enough there is to eat
aud huIry to the shop. We are not allowed
To warm oureelve shy the fire no matter how
cold or wet we may be, and all day long
am siverng. My work is making paper
bags, at thirty live cents thousand"
And bow many can GU make in day.
'Oue thousand, when | work hard
Thrty-hve cents for whole day of hard
labor, III "a cold room, surrounded by girls
who are prohibited strictly from conversing
with each other, aud among whom it is
grave otfense to look out of window or
stand moment by stove.
The first day was there, F." said Minnie.
Il felt 50 bad that couldn't keep FROM cry
ing aud when | turned and spoke to the
glri who worked next to me- she started in
d might aud made no answer. 1 he overseer
OF the room is cross man and he came
and told me to go home it | wanted to talk
they didn't allow any gabblng there"
put on my overcoat aud walked with
Minnie to the shop where she worked to see
for my self. IL Was loug barren room in
the fourth story OF the building with chill
~ air upon it that sent sbiver through me.
1t was about noon time-a little after aud
the overseer CHANGED to be away. About
score Of girls from ten to fifteen wears of
age were seated at long tables, with piles OF
brown paper and pots OF paste before them
Great Was their establishment when | took
my place AT Minnles side to watch her work,
for there was card on the door which said,
Positively DO aomittance' These faces
were, wthut exception sad aud sickiy, and
they bent over their work with weary air
that touched me almost to tears.
The most expert Of these girls is able to
earn abnut So week was told: mauy earn
less. None Of them pay less than IS n week
for their board How, then, do they live?
How clothe themselves? Can you unriddle
this puZz'e? Good men aud women are shud
deiiug over it every day.
1t was Minutes misfortune that she had
never been taught to work.
How could her parents have foreseen her
destiny? sought long III vain to fnt her
empoym more remunerative, in which
she was capable of engaging While thus
seeking, heard from her occasionally. First
there game the pleasant tidings that the
cross oversrer treated her with especial ktud
hess spoke to her cheerfuIy, and gave her
the ightest work to do that the place az
/ fOrded.
She was so gaddened by this, in the in
J nocence OF her heart! Aud then, not lons,
after, came another word he had grossly
Iusulted her aud when che repulsed him had
turned her from the shop with curses
Does my readers understand what all this
means! have related the incident onlv 10
illustrate as nodestly as may be, the periIs
(whlcG besettne shop girl.
You will fail of realizing the ghastIipess
OF this subject if you lose sight Of the fact
those who sutfer this aud are tempted Tins
who lead life OF friendessness, oulv ex
changeable for drearier horror of hunger
and cold, aud can be bought with death or
shane-are vast army i'll numbers. There
are thousands who want even for the mis-.
erahIe privileges eff such toll as have tried
to plcture-who perish by the wayside, wear
by year. No night passes over your head
that does not cover with its darkness some
poor girl wandering the streets of New
York hungry, weary, friendess utterly for
l"rn; VINO has no refuge but 10 give herself
'hto tie hands OF policeman, to be taken
|" the station house, that she Iuay sleep on
lis bare Hnor III company with thieves.
tdruukards. aud shameless ones Of both sex4s
Much attention is of late being directed
70 Tue subject OF woman's rights, in the no
oer meaning Of the term aud it is v ell that
1t is so. The m're fully the rising generation
81 gals are taught to Ge self he pfnl, the bet
ter 1t will be for the future welfare Of the
Ianh-t the more barrow will become the
, spread OF distress among the sex as they
become widowed. orphaned, or otherW is,
proleoiorlts So Meantime here 10 New Yorb
Is the existing evil of the hour which ough,
not I" he. must not be overlooked Goo
speed the work of all who labor in this field