Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-03-11
For the Freeman.
THROUGH THE MILL.

Are the massive walls in whose shelter I've walked
for many year.
And hard work, too, have found it, and weary has
been the way
That my aching feet have trod at the dawn and
close of the day.
Five O'Clock in the summer, and six in the winter
Sure the morning opened r ang out the factory
chime;
And that deep old bell never minded; be the wealth
bitter with frost
Or chill with the foggy dampness, SO never day
we lost.
1 remember one season, Jennie-twas thirteen
years ago,
The ptiess cold around and heavy and deep
lay the snow;
And after long days labor in the estining air OF
the mill,
Our rooms on the corporation were dismal and
blank and chill.
Zoo chill for the merry chatting we had in The sum
mer nights,
For all OF tna! dreary wnier they gave us no fuel
nor lights;
And after a.cheeIlcss supper each, shyerng, crept
10 bed,
And hands and feet, aud our hearts, almost,
we've Ike many humps OF lead.
But we were cold Tor sleeping, after the weary
day,
And we heard the clocks on the churches measure
the time away;
And when, after hours of watching, we dropped
into sleep at last
In bitter cold AMI p perils drcam-and lots were
cast.
And just ttoubcd asIumbcr was changing
into rest.
When the sleep we much needed in blessing
seemed doubly bltst,
The clang of The bell awoke us in the dawning gray
and dim,
And through the mists of the morning the workers
strag gled III.
AMI Jennie, think the angels looked with pity
ing eye,
AS the crowd OF sickly people jostling,
crowding by
At the wan and pallid woihen with facdS bIanched
! with care,
And bodies not half protected to meet the wntry
air;
At the young whose sunny childhood, with its ten
/ der, loving light,
Ha been crushed and darkened forever by Il
wicked, withering liaht;
At the strong IN manhood's Iulness, whose hearts
black with sin,
Whose oaths and bitter cursngs we heard we
hurried in.
But the little children, Jennie were the saddles
sight of ALL
With checks so pinched with hunger ard limbs Sc
wasted and small;
: And instead of GoI'5 free sunshine and the happy
childhood plays,
For them there was naught but labor through th
drear December tlays
But those. days were longsago, Jennie,-so yer.
long, it seems,
That sometimes 1 almost faLcy I'm dreaming o
terrible dreams;
Of terrible dreams which the future shall never 70
Of dreams whose living Real pray G Cd, yau ma,
never meet.
But now we've bettor agent-one who TO
the bodies and souls,
As well as the work of the people whose labor hi
, will controls;
:. And the little ones watch his coming to catch hi
pleasant lie,
And fingers fly the faster for his greeting once in
while.
; 1 worked in the weave-room, Jennie, six years ag
this June.
How well 1 remember one morning-the earth wa
- all in tune,
t And fresh through me open windows came coo
4 ing grateful breeze
And the birds were chlrpns saIly at their buildln
IN 'he trees
My web was running smoothly, and 1 stopped
moment to talk
With the girl who worked beside me about merr
walk
We had planned for that very evening, over beyon
the mill,
And across the road by the river, to the top of W
ren's Hill.
-......
hod ca,,r,,, f,, o,cl
whirring sound of the shuttle, jarring, nnstead
click;
stopped, with ready fingers. TO untangle In
snarled thread
But / started back with a shudder at the terribI
d crash O'erhead.
,..-,- ., .,-..--. -,
'"3 -;
| As we saw the fearful struggle-our darling Kit
I CRANES,
t Of all the girls IN the weaveroom the daintcst an
and bcst)
q Caught in the cruel gearing-Ohi Jennie. You kno
the restl
,,,.,..-.,,,.. ,-...-.., s...,,... .,., -, .,. ..
,1, nov, ,t
To gaze for one last moment on the face sran q
" fair,
u With wondrous smile upon it, all trace of suffe
d ing past,
7 Andthe weary manSied body resting III peace
= I"9'
; Came to tho nrintroom Jennie. and see what l,
= doing now
e GU feei' as we turn inc corner, the heaiea ar
n 4o"i oio"'
n Just iook' as we pass AT 'he engine-ihe mlsh
# Hc"'y 'hihs
eaten inc ahtheui o ccaseiess iaoor ''a' 'nc "he'
anu shatIihs sing
This is nv pattern, Jennie, and trace with &C
= stant care
" hacn angie anu oi cie u'On IT. oh 'iie eiee' Dei'
II W" 'ie'