St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-05-08
SeUing- Girfs of NeiO York.
Their Work aud Their EMPLOYERS.

two claSseS-thOSe who work ut home.
and those who work in rooms provided
by their employers The former class is
smaller than the latter. Where girls
sew at home, it is generally Il special
necessity that keeps them there. They
are crippleS, unable to go out or they
have bcd-ridden father, mother, sister.
or brother To look after. Are YOU sur
pri>ed Many poor girl. 10 whom life
Is Il deathly struggle with starvation and
cold, keeps Il heart warm with such love
rs might win the plaudils of angels. |
have known more than one case, in
which was exhibited the most wonderful
ahnc@atlon OF self, amounting to 4 devU-
tiom of the girls very life on the altar of
fllal affection. One such case will tell
you the story OF the whole,
The case OF Il gentle Mary, who ekes
out u miserable existence III Mulberry
street. This is one OF the vile>t of the
Five Points streets: but Mary's home j.
not in the Five Points part of it, being
above Canal street. 1t i Il dismal abode
for human beings, nevertheless, this for
cotton rookcry where Mary dwclls. Let
Us look i'll this girl's daily life little
With her needle alone she earns the
money that pays for all they (her>elf and
her father, who is diving with conSump-
tiou) havc-and very little that is. Put
lcw questions to Mary you have earn
cd the right, she feels. by the tritleS you
have brought hcr-lrfle- To us, but ali.
what value they possess to her, They
represent two GOOD weeks OF toll to the
poor giri-of such toll. pray God, as
your daughter and mine may never
know.
What rent do YOU pay for this room,
Mary =
-Four dollars month. sir
That Is little more than thirteen
cents day YOU viii observe.
What do you get for making such 4
shirt as that p
'NiN cents, sir
what, Iou make Il whole shirt for
>iX cents
Yes. sir. and furnish the thread
Doc, not this almost -tag4.r q. duiity
Bli thr'r j. truth in the an face: t i
iml5,>ib,r t. dI~.ciieNr her. if. how
cv,r, ny rca :ar j. .myr duiou-. can H.
-ui. h.n in.i Many lpe- 10, icll :. i.i-r-
he -: !.now ii.at thi- price j. pa.d 10y
some ot the most 'rr-pcciabIr' firms III
New York.
Can't you yet wo.I, to do at higher
prices >
Sometimes. III. But these folks are
better than many others, and pay rcgu-
iarly. Some who offer better prices will
cheat, o. they won't pay when the work
: carried home. Ihc>, folks give me
plenty of work, and never have to
wait; 80 don't look around Tor better.
| can't afford to take risk, sir 80 many
will cheat Us.
Responsibility Is a good thing. you see.
Let me whisper few other prices 10
YOU, which rcspcctabllity pays lis poor
grls Fifteen or twenty cents Tor max
Ing Il linen coat. complete: >iNty-twO
cents per dozen for making mems heavy
oyeralls; one dollar dozen Tor making
flannel shirts. Figurcs are usually very
humdrum affairs. but what a story they
tell here These last prices | did not
yet from Mary. got them, i'll the first
place. from Il benevolent lady who works
with heart and hand, day after day, all
her time, in cudcavoring TO better the
condition o: the poor glrlS OF New York.
Hut got them, in the second place, from
thc employers themselves. BY going TO
them, pencil in hand, and desiring the
cheerful little particulars for publication
Hardly. | sent my otiicc-boy out in
search of work for IN imaginary sister,
and 10 inquire what would be paid her.
Having inquired, and got his answer, II
Is needless to say that james concluded
his sister could live without taking in
sewing.
So YOU sec that, in order merely to
pay her rent. Mary must make two shirts
a day That bcin@ done she must make
, more to meet her other expenses, She
has fuel to buy-and Il pail of coal costs
her fifteen cents She has food to buy
but she eats very little, her father still
, less. She has not tasted meat OF any
| kind for over Il year, she tells us. W hat
t then. does she eat , Bread, and pota
toes, principally; she drinks cup o.
1 , ;,i. Ill o,. s,c,,,. ,t
.
t fr@nuontlv has NOT She has also to bu,
II n,n noi n,;nti,,, f,ncv ,,;cturas. | an
t s,at;nr f,rts Which are not regulated b,
T arv rnlcs known to our exner;encc) :;
: & .';I, ~ ,,.L;sL,ar, Nanu., t,tbor wa.
i ''at ,aarod = tcoto,oIIor onJ ,bouob
; ,a. amJ hayo mn ,a,,n t,r Gnunr an
: not un,nIe to 500 how , I;,tIa whisk,,
e NAV he the last physical .oI;,ce possible