Connecticut western news., 1879-01-29
VOL. VIII.
" What'll e give me?"

"Two-and-sixpence the week.
 In silence the child took the woman's hand, and they both entered the gate. The man standing there looked at Mary sharply, but the woman said it was all right, and then they came to strange place that seemed like pit sunk ill the ground.
 The woman led the way past the rows of shining machines quite to the end of the room, near the windows. Mary glanced out of one window and found that she was at the top of the mill, and high above the railway that sprang over the top of, her house under the arches. Beyond she could see whole rows Of chimneys, and here and there mill towering far lbove the houses and streets. She looked about the room and saw number of men and women stand ing as if waiting for something, and with them she saw number of boys and girls very like herself. There was little time to notice them, for the woman put bundle of greasy rags in herhand, and bade her wipe the dust from the machinery. A long iron frame, higher than her head, stretched from side to side of the room. On the front of the frame stood a row of iron spindles, each wound with white thread that stretched backward to a wooden spool on top of the frame.
 "Now mind yourself; it's going to start"
 Suddenly, with loud roar, the whole row of spindles began to spin swiftly round, and at the same time they rolled quite away from her.
 "Now 'er Il come back p shouted the woman in Mary's ear.
 Then the great frame, spindles and all, rolled forward again. Mary thought it would crush her against the wall, and she started back in alarm.
 "Follow 'er! Follow 'er P screamed the woman. By this Mary understood that she was to keep with the machinery, walking after it as it rolled back, and stepping back ward as it advanced again. Forward and backward, forward and backward rolled the machinery, and Mary followed if, and wiping the dust and lint from the shining steel at every step. The woman also walked forward and backward, watching the threads, and patiently knotting them together with g twist of her fingers as fast as they hap pened to break,
 With bare feet Mary battered over the stone floor, carefully stepping over the iron tracks where the wheels of the ma- chinery rolled backward and forward, and steadily wiping away the dust that continually settled on the machinery. She looked up and down the room, and saw two little boys and three mites of girls, just like herself, all marching for ward and back with the men and women, and keeping pace with the busy ma chinery. The room became very warm and close. The precipitation dropped from her chin, and trickled down her bare arms. And the noise. It was dreadfull How could she ever do this all day long, and every day, in the long, long weeks. Then she remembered the broken cart, and she stepped out the quicker to keep up with the roaring machinery.
 Some one touched her shoulder, and turning round she found small boy walking beside her. He had stone pitcher in his hand, and he stepped back ward and forward beside her, and keep ing clear of the machinery as it ran il and out.
 "Have some ?"
 Mary gladly took the pitcher in hel wet and blackened hands, and retreatet to the wall and took long drink of thu water, for she was very warm and thirsty
 "Thank 'ee."
 The boy took the pitcher, and thel
 shouted in her ear
 "You're too young. The 'specto
 will be lookin' for 'ee."
 "The 'spector?"
 "Yes. He's the perlice. Oh! There
 He's yon now"
 The boy walked quickly away, an Mary gave one terrified glance round th room. At the door stood gentlema with cane in his hand. She knew h couldn't be one of the work-people, fo he had a silk hat and his hands we1 clean. He must be the inspector. Wit 8 beating heart she went back to he work, and began to pace backward an l forward after the rolling machinery. Sh 3 looked at the woman nendine th . threads, and wished she could speak 1 2 her. She would tell about the broke K cart and the poor horse. Some or touched her arm. She was startled, an for an instant stood still; but the m l. chinery came against her, and she W, d obliged to spring backward to escape d It was the woman, and before Ma p could speak, she said:
 d "He's wantin' ye. Go yonder, al 'e mind what ye say to him. 'e Hardly knowing what to do or sa ;h Mary stepped into the aisle and we Ut toward the inspector with trembli Id steps. He took her hand, and led | ar away out into the round tower. Closi d, the door to keep out the noise, he sal d, "You are not ten years old?"
 "No, sir. I'm ten come Michaelma
 "But the government does not all ne little girls to work in the mills beft e' they are ten."
 a "Oh, sir l" burst out Mary, beginni ar to cry, "the horse is dead-and I | 7i- to-father-he can't potter now" an "Don't cry I'm not going to h1 on you. I'm the inspector, and the gove
 ment sends me to look after children
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