The New York herald., 1876-03-19

seamtresses obtain fthey will set about H. and
without any loss OF dignity; for, as rule servants
nowadays hold their heads high or a little higher
'han their mistresses DO.
quite an Interesting statement, but apparently quite
oeeai Tor, II Mr. Reade deprves US of seamstresses
and places them all housemaids he dspaces equal
number OF girls Of lover education who have 10 either
become seamstresses or, what more probable,
thing worse II Mr. Reade wishes TO do any
good to tho suffering, halistarvcd girls for
whom he pleads he should On agitation for in.
creasng the payment seamstresses or induce some
rich philanthroplst to build model homes Tor them.
Mr.. Reades letter doubt suggested by the fol.
lowing painful case reported in the columns OF the
Daily Telegraph -
most deplorablc Illustration of sociablc grievance
for which there really seems bo denitve remedy
was made public at an inquiry held before Mr. ST. Glare
Bedord, on Wednesday, at the ST. Martin's Nestry
HAN, respecting the death OF Ada File, needewoman
From the evidence OF Emma Fllc her sister, II AZ
peared that the deceased had occupied room IN
Chandos street. and that since the death OF Their
mother the Two women had earned wretchedly pre-
carlous ptIance-it would be gross exaegeration to
term lt hvehhood-by needlework Last saturday
Ada File sat up ali night plying her needle and thread
ABOUT hve O'Clock In tho morning, while still at work,
she awoke her sister by uttcnng piercing shreks.
Almost Immediately aiterward she sank the noor
dead The medical evidence went 10 show that the
body feariuly emaciatod the stomach
being completely empty. All the internal organs
had become cnieeblcd; and the proximate cause of
dissolution was failure Of the action OF the heart,
sulting from the physical condition OF the deceased.
Emma File, being recalled added to her evidence tho
significant statement that ON the Friday preceding
Ada = death the only sustenancc partaken OF by her
anu her sister had been cup OF tea; that Is 10 say,
they had swallowed stImulant but had had
no actual bodily nourishment at all The Coroner
made some humane remarks the distressing nature
OF tue case, and the jury returned a verdict in
cordancc with the medical evidence" They could
not, oi course do OTHERWISE stll It is possible,
believe, 10 add upon occasion rider 10 verdict, and
such supplement- might be conceived being
couched us"We find that Ada File died of starvation
shaved at her needle throughout the hvelong night
ana how many nights and days before God knows
she aud her sister could not get enough tn eat and
we hnd in conclusion that tins wretched woman died
oi inanon on the estate OF great nobeman, in the
centre OF wealthy parish, and IN the midst OF the
richest ahd-ostcnslby so-the most phianthropc
city IN the world OF nobodyis fault
that Aca File worked her fingers 10 the
| cumbcd at last 10 want Why did she not appeal TO
the Charity organization Society Why did not she
or her sister apply to tho parish for outdoor relief
say couple OF oayes and Two shillings week Why
did they not go Unto the houseY So far the dead
needlewoman is concerned IT may be TO ask such
questions now She Is lar, very far, away from the
purvicw of parishes and the "invcstigationsn of
charity organizers. But the questions nevertheless,
should be put, seeing that Emma File, not quite, but
nearly starved, still lives and that there thou
sands such us she and her dead kinswoman sewing aud
starving all day and all night in London the Mag
nhcent.
1t is impossible to read the above without thinking
OF Hoods pathetic verses
Oh, men, with sisters deari
Oh men, with mothers and wivesi
IL Is not linen you're wearing out,
But human creatures hvcsi
Stitch-stitch-stitch
In poverty, hunger and dirt
Sewing at once with n double thread
A shroud as well as shirt
But why do talk OF dcatbS
That phantom Of grIsy bone;
hardly lear ITS terrible shape,
1t so like my own.
1t seems so like my own.
Because of the lasts keep
Oh, God that bread should be so dear
And flesh and blood so chcapl