Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-02-11
Aic sellanu.
The Sewing Girls.

Almost every week we find in some OF
our exchanges lamentations over the
miserable condition of the sewing-women
of America. Their wages, we are told,
are inadequate their occupation I'M.
healthy; their temptations greater than
those of any other class. All this is true
beyond peradventure; but it suggests to
our mind not a philippe against the en-
ployer, who, finding that the supply Of
sewing-women far exceeds the demand
is enabled to cut down the prices which
he pays, lengthen the working-day, and
huddle those whom he employs into small
and imperfectly ventilated apartments.
1t suggests rather a practical question
which we would like to put to every
young woman in America who is obliged
to support herselfby her own toll "Why
be sewing-girl? Why not seek employ
ment in some .tamily?" The supply by
no means equals the demand in that d.
rection. Indeed, the article which so
many families are demanding-namely,
cheerful, honest and efficient service-can
hardly be had atany price. A girl who
is thoroughly competent to take charge
OF either kitchen, laundry or nursery,
can Tx her own price and make pretty
much her own terms with her employers.
The merest drudge, fresh from the emf
grant ship and introduced for the first
time to Christian kitchen, finds herself
IN demand at ten dollars month-which
is more than many sewing girls get. De-
cent mediocrity may charge three or four !
dollars week: while those who are tho
roughly efficient can make their choice
between score of homes at five dollars.
The most favored sewing girl, if she does Il
not overtask her strength, earns from t
SIX to eight dollars week. Out of this 81
she has to pay her board, hire her own i
sewing done. and pay the difference in '
price between dresses which are appro- q
pirate for the street, and those which are u
appropriate for the house. If as careful v
an apprenticeship be served to the IRON lie
ing-board as to the sewing machine, the u
one who devotes herself to household toll II
may find larger balance in hand at the
close OF theyear than the sewing-woman. v
Why, then, do not more of our young p
women train themselves for household u
service, and devote themselves cheerfully b
and patiently to this work until some ii
sensible fellow, realizing that they are e'
qualified to make home happy, rewards is
them by giving them home of their tt
own Because it is degrading to the Sc
manhood Of American women to 90 out p
to service, is the only answer that we W
have ever heard given to this question CT
and very stupid answer it is. How is it W
more degrading to work in the house Al
than the shop; to serve one Of your own "
sex than one Of those male tyrant., who a
Is to get his deserts when Elizabeth Cady Of
Stanton is President Of these United W
States; to live within the influence of the u
family, rather than that of the street? e
These are, to our mind, insoluble prob Fl
iems' and, until some one suggests a solus v
ton, we shall persist in lamenting the fol- g
~ OF those young women who, instead g.
OF attempting to meet the demand for 10
Intelligent and faithful household ser.
vice, enslave themselves to the harpies III
OF our slop-shops. The most Of our sew tic
lng-girls are halfstarved and MANY of
them on the highway to hell, they have ly
no one to blame but themselves.-New ds
York Examiner. q