Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-26

will find il he ever wants anything sewn
for him and doesn't mind giving her the
JOB"
The concierge retired-worthy chatter
box, whose chief delight was to commu-
nicate to one lodger the adventures or
misadventures of the other-but sup
pose some of his words fingered after
him, for that day, being out, bought a
dozen pocket handkerchiefs aud sent
them with my compliments to Mile
Sylvie, requesting that she would kindly
hem and mark them.
She was less than week about the
work, and brought in one afternoon when
the sun had been so lustrous and her ca
naries in such spirits that the very spar
rows of Paris, who are the most uncon-
cerned birds in existence, must have
wondered at and envied them A slight
knock, and she entered, reserved in man
ner, but unembarrassed, and with that
perfect grace of demeanor which seems
to be the dppdndge of French women.
She had not much Of what artists call
beauty, but her teeth and hair were ad-
mirable, and her eyes shone with an ex-
preston Of innocent viyacity, very con-
fdent, true and captivating. On the
other hand, she was evidently over
worked. Her figure was slight and
thin, and her face much paler than !
had been able to judge, seeing her from
distance of four stories.
These are monsieur handker-
chiefsY she asked, and saying this
handed me the little cardboard box in
which the order had been sent her /
mechanically examined the work, and
was struck with its conscientious char
acter-every stitch so honest and
straight, and the design of the cypher
she had wrought in fancy letters so deli
cate, painstaking and able. Then, hav-
ing admired, inquired how much was
indebted to her, and she named sum
so modest that, rejecting on the prices
charged for these things by people who
are called fashionable hosiers, wonder
ed with some indignation how anybody
could have the courage to grind unfor
tunate needle girls down in this way.
But you must find it very hard"
observed, ITO live on such small gains
as this, Mile SylvieY
"Oh, monsieur" she answered with
little shrug and a smile, Its woman
work, and that's never much paid
She said this so quietly that / was
unable to divine whether there was any
irony in the remark or whether she really
thought that her sex earned as much as
could be expected; SO | repeated
Il consider it very little"
yet there are women who would sew
for less" was her tranquil answer as she
smoothed a crease out of the neat white
apron that covered her merino gown.
I'VE are so many women, and so few
trades open to u.s. Monsieur has never
been in poorer quarters? There are
women to be seen there who make work
mems blouses at three sous the blouse;
they stitch fifteen hours day and earn
thirty sous. Nobody can have an idea
Of what deep wretchedness is until he
has seen these women. Imagine such
of them as have children and sometimes
drunken husband, and nothing but this
money! There are some who say that
all this is the fault OF the employers;
but then the employers pretend that
they can't pay us any more, and women
have not the power to raise wages by |
striking work as the men can. Nobody |
ever heard of womans strike. To |
begin with, women are not Free and so
couldn't strike If they would, for their
husbands and fathers wouldn't always
let them But even If they were free, |
do not believe any number of us women
could agree together for long. We are
so fond of quarreling with one anotherr'
Here she smiled again, and seeing me
listening with silent interest to her
speech, said quietly; "As for me, mon
sieur, l have no right to complain; l
am one of the lucky ones.
Lucky, Mile Sylvie2" .rjf e oo 1
Yes, she replied, earn my three
francs day It's not much, but it's
enough, and | manage to put by little
for rainy weather. Sometimes Iwish it
we're spring all the year round, because
Of the cold in winter which numbs one
fingers and makes it difficult to sew, but
when the winters over and the sky gets
blue and warm again in April, then /
feel glad for what we have gone through,
for it makes the spring seem better. But
even in the winter there are amuse-
ments, and | used to go to the theater oc-
but not now, because my
over doesn't like il"
And here she drew the faintest breath
Of sigh. You see, it was NJ Poly
lore. M. Polydore is my neighbor 1
she explained simply" who knew some
actors of the Ambigu and Gsite; they
gave him tickets, and he gave them to
ne, and used to go with one of my girl
friends, and we used sometimes to cry
III the evening. Ali 1t does one good,
hose pieces that make you cryl But
ny lover is jealous, and won't let me
accept presents from anybody, and l
Inow if / were to take anything again '
rem NJ. Polydore he'd beat me-Oh, a
monsieur, ne craignez rien, c est le NEIL !,
eur garcon du monde" she exclaimed Il
iaively, as she perceived that this glimpse b
,f her lovers disposition had not i'm
PRESSED me very favorably, II do with :
lin what / please; but then he's a ser
yeant who has always been we'll noted in =
lis regiment, and he says: I'm not GO
ng to marry girl against whom people
ave got anything to say, Sylvie'-and
le's quite right. If were a man / I
lnow ! should be like that" ]
Then yop work and wait Mile syl-
"I work and wait, monsieur she an
wered. Ny lover lays by what he
AN, and when his term of service is
'ver he viii marry me, and we shall {
ry and keep shop, That will be in
wo years time--yes, in two years all
mt a month" end here again came
hort sigh, as though to say: It's a
title long, but one must be patient" ?
She glanced at the clock, aud ! took