Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-01-27
A Cry from the Oppressed.

Tho following is an essay read b.
one of the mem bers of the Youn.
Ladies Literary Society of Monroe
at recent meeting:
A letter to all who will lend al
appreciative ear TO the cry of the op
pressed, for such being am |.
was not always in this condition, fol
once, long years ago, | had kline
mother who took the best of care O.
me and my four brothers but there
came q time when our mother M
longer had any control over as, fol
We were, al the tender age OF fifteen
put under tie care and instruction o.
most crueA guardian, or master, who
seemed to The world to be the very
personificalion of goodness, end fol-
this reason he was being educated
for the ministry, that his good infu'
encos might be felt abroad but, un
fortunately for US, this very good
person was filled to overlooking with
pride. People called it good taste
but the taste was indeed bitter to Us
who were the objects upon which it
worked.
His good taste led him to fancy
that we We're getting altogether toe
large and ugly looking, and that by
COMPRISING our bodies, we would
not only stop growing, but in time
ha0oma an llae CO ba dram oopo q
garments on US that were SO tight
our blood could scarcely circulate
through our veins. He thought we
looked charming, and, OF course,
that AS all that was necessary. 1t
did not make any difference how
much we suffered, so that he was
satisfied with our appearance.
So time passed on, each day bring
ing new sorrow and suffering !, q
once happy, fat; robust boy, was
being reduced TO mere skeleton.
aud my tight clothes were also
making cripple of me for, being
both TOO tight and too short, | was
compelled TO walk bent over, and the
chatting and pressure of my clothes.
which were made of coarse material
were causing a hump to grow on my
back, which, at the present writing,
equals about one-twelfth OF the size
of my whole body.
My brothers, being larger than
myself endured their hardships with
less complaint than |, who, on
account of the severe, singing pain
in my back, was always groaning at
night; causing my master to say
that be wished | was not in existence.
My largest brother, thinking his fate
a little worse than ours, for he was
not only bumped over a little, but
also bent sidewise, complained nearly
as much as l DID, and we altogether
made it rather uncomfortable for the
gentlemen.
But, you may ask, "why did he
not stop COMPRISING your bodies,
when he knew how much suffering
he was causing by doing SO ?" All /!
pride prevented him. He saw his
folly when it was too late. For, not
until he had grown older, and pride
no l,nger held such an important
place in his heart, and not until we,
on account of such cruel treatment,
had become almost useless to him,
did he awaken to see the foolish
course which he had been pursuing
all those years. He declared that it
should be so no longer, and tore our
tight garments from US; put new
ones on, with ample room for clrcu-
lation but, as | sail, it was too late
Our crippled bodies will never be
straight again, and the humps on our
backs, instead of growing small, are
constantly enlarging, and my largest
brother has such bunch growing on
his side, that he is sight TO behold
There will be few moments of rest
for US in this would, and also for our
master, for we disturb both waking
and sleeping hours with our groans'
| did not write this letter tor tie
sake of my brothers aud myself, fOi
no one can do ~ any good, but fol
the many young persons with whom
l am acquainted, and thousands with
whom | am not, who are situated il
the same condition as we were a.
their age.
Oh | do appeal to the guardians
of those young persons, not to com
press their bodies, for if they do, they
not only bring the mostintenss suffer
ing upon them, but also upon them
selves, and the keenest remorse afte
they have become aware of theil
folly.
Hoping, but scarcely believing
that these, my most earnest wishes
will be regarded, [ ar, very respect
fully, their most humble servant
Sentinel. A LITTLE TOE.