, 1874-02-01
that of hundreds OF women who are compelled
h4 nncassitY to earn their Own Irving:

could raise my children Respectfully D0Ao'o
had thought more about this than women gen
erallr do, because it seemed to be constantly IN
Johns mind, and he sometimes gave nttefance
to it, wondering what should do when ne WAS
gone. md Wishing he vas able to make some
provision for his family. As times are 30 hard,
John ont Of work, and rent to pay, imagined
that now VAS the time to test my power Of earn
iuc living. prided myself, too, on my BOW
ing. as knew e1celled in that department,
and felt sure TINT could give satisfaction to my
employers. I imagined, too, that the best way to
obtain steady work was to apply to those stores
where ready-made clothing is sold and' as
had been informed that tailor vas better palo
than q dreasmaker, would first apply to
store where mems clothing was cold Aecolu-
ingly dressed myself neatly, ana, leaving tna
house. and children in Johns care: 1steppea WIN
high hopes into atreet~car, ano Aeo0 ~ A3'
destination,-a ...
,rhich entered, and inquired for work. ! was
directed to step into the elevator; Whlcn wotu ~
t;ftb gtorY Of the building. Arrived there, H.
nnired Of the Superintendent for WORK be
ar can do almost anything thar Is done WITH
a needle and thread. or with sew1ng.maeh,.ne
but have been the most 4censtomea er 70 .am
I replied. =. o,,,. .rmman-
nants on trial' he said; 'aDd If your Work su1rs,
we will let you have more
.iI will lake them replied.
uAfter they were rolled up and wrapped IN
naner. It occurred to me- to inquire what he PAID
40 '''0 SIXTEEN CENTS PAIR
"tSirteen cents patr! exclaimed;
"'Sixteen cents pair ana you WILL As'e W
find your own thread. madam
@tDo you never pay any more thai that7' 1
yentured to inquire.
I've csnnot afford to pay any more,' be re.
piled. 'Men in the country gFumble nov a. y
having 50. so per pAir for these pants; and, II
We paid more than 16 cents, where would our
proits be? We should soon be obl19ed TO 50
into bankruptcy. Sixteen cents ls our market
price =: If ron do not want to make them 1or tnat'
you need not take them, .a+r r
s.tI will take them, and see how much profit
can realize on theru,' said. as I took up the
bundle. and departed With my hopes OF being
aha to earn livelihood considerably lowered.
II found, by working steadily without inter
ruption, that could make
ApAIR IN FOUR HOURS;
but, as have baby who will cry now md then
for ma was obliged to suspend operations
freouently to quiet my little one and often
wondered If rich ladies', who eau devote a.! thelr
time to their children, know how hard 1t Is Tor
us poor vonaen, Who have to stine the 7osee VI
cryiny while We are working for dear life.
III had stitched on those pants for three days,
when Jo,n came in with the joyful news that he
had found work st 21.50 per day,--inside work,
whese he would not be Obliged to 1889 any s1he
on account Of bad weather.
a.Now.' said he *just wrap those miserable
garments in paper, and let me carry them back
/ to the store. Don't. for melcy's SAKE, worry
| auY more Of your life out on them You nave
/ enough to do to take ca1e OF the house and tne
aEp ut
III would like to finish the work, I said, for
T want to know how the poor sewing women
| DO GET ALONG,
and Just how much they 5eaIze 10. tnelf ~osK. n,+
boar to see you stitching your LIE away foE
nothing. Hoods "6ong Of the Shirt would
| not be- ont Of place in this land OF sewing
machines:
| us" It Is not pants you sre wearing cut,
/ But human creatures fves."
| ut finished the work snd took it 10 the store.
Arrived at the work-roona the Superintendent
opened the bundle and examined each pair
separately.
have seved by hand; and wanted another row
have been hommed By hand but, as they are
nicely stitched better than the generality, will
let them pass, but shall expect these alterations
| made in the next -
"sI thlnk I hare done enough for the ne
| Ar al thia fault. finding, when had worked so
hard for SO little.
"t Do you want any moro he asked:
atNo, thank you replied. think shall
be able to get my porridge !. and u as sueh "ork
EAT 1T poRn1pGE WITHOUT SALT
rather than earn it in this way. II you will pay
ms for what hare done, do not think shall
trouble you asain'
and, while he Was busy writing, spoke to lady
who had come IN while I WAS talking to thu
Superintendent. She was shabbily dressed, nnt
looked 80 il she had experienced hard times
Il have brought in two dozen. she said, and
dread to have him look at them after be ha'
found 70 much fault with yours for yours a1s
made much nicer than mine, and the stitching
On tEen is great deal neater.'
! "tHo,g long did it take you to make them ?
asked.
~ have spent
| ONE wEEEs WORK ON TaEN,'
sne replied. MY husband is out Of work, an
Ill We have to depend upon is what earn. N!
baby is years Old, and does not nbed much at
tention from me. lily husband has ATTENDED
to all her little ~ants, and done ali tn
to sow, and, by sewing steadily all tho time, an
making long days can make two dozen pair
per week But / dread to have him examin
them, for am afraid he will find considerabl
| fault with them- nave WORKED 1ol otue1 It0s
who are not go particular as they are here
stAt this point tho Superintendent 1eturne
with piece Of paper, which be handed to mt
saving, Give that to tho Cashier, and he ri
pay you. Ring the bell and take the elevator
His manner seemed to say, Now, depart q
speedily as possible.
1'sI said to the woman at my side. L woul
like to lear what no has to say to your work, bu
see am not wanted, aud suppose Will haV
to co.
II have wished since that I had iingere
J around tho building until that poor creatur
, came out, and learned what ha did say to NJ
work.
1.-THE Cashier paid me &1.93 for my work.
expended IS conts for thread and 90 cents fc
car-fare, which left me S1.37 for. my labor; an
that poor woman who supported her husband
herself, and her child, by hez hard labor,
COULD EARE ONLY 32.84 PER WEE.
: 1--WE hear 80 much aud so repeatedly aoont tn
paupe1-labor Of Europe but would really liz
TO know if any Of the European cities can prt
duce any worse cases than these:
"0ne Of my neighbo1s called upon me- . fe
,, | deys since, and said she wished she could g
some sewing to do; times we're go hard tn
winter that they we're falling behind, and, as h
baby could walk now, she thought she cou
, spare little time from her household duties
do some sewing for others, if she could get it.
| ,o1d har all rnr1f haVa rnntH tn m8Ee