Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-01-12
A Woman Black smith.

At one forge later on, between nine and
ten O'Clock, in fact, l discovered q female
mailer working under disadvantages that
might have daunted an anchor smith.
Whether she had husband whose absence
was accounted for by his being addicted to
beer shop fogglng, or whether she had nc
husband, l did not ask her, and she did moi
tell me. Anyhow, she was working alone,
and she spoke of having ''all these brats" to
provide tor, as though the whole response.
bihty rested on her poor narrow shoulders,
the bones of which were so sharp that they
threatened to cut through the fiimsy mate,
rial that covered them every time she tugged
at the heavy bellows. There were fouI
little childrt n. the Oldest about seven, the
youngest baby IN ''long clothes'-in q
calico bedgown, in fact, and nothing else.
This solitary article of raiment had once
been white, but was now approaching the
complexion of coal-sack,
The two children who came between the
eldest and the youngest were disportiDg in
the ashes, and pummelling each others
awfuily dirty little bodies in fierce strug-
gle for the mangled remains Of wooden
doll. There was only its carcass lett, and
is hair was singed of its head, and the
paint on its face all scorched and blistered:
bnt tine two infant nailers could not have
fought for ii more furiously had it been the
choicest prize in Mr.. CremeI's collection.
The other two children-the Oldest and the
youngest, the former acting the part of
nurse TO The latter-were deposited In a
kind of wooden cradle that shared with the
bal q \, L. Il lar h.. 6rax ia
baby was shrieking, and the boy was shout
ing out hymn in a vain endeavor to 4uiet
il.
One way ard another, the mother, poor
soul-she was quite ay oung woman-semed
well-nigh distracted rs she banged away AT
her work, bent seemingly on getting some
set task done; the perspiratlon streamed
down her face as though she was crying.
She stuck TO her work, however, and kept
the sparks flying, showers of them be-
sprinkled the occupants of the cradle, but
without producing the least effects on those
young salamanders-untIl shrilier shrek
than hitherto caused the woman to throw
down her hammer and take the child on hel
lap as she sat down on the nose of the
anvil
lizard work."
sit is Just that, master,h she remarked.
In reply to an observation of mine; land
often l wish was in heaven, and out of it
ali, pom my soul and body, do; raley
gel 30 sick of II!
And as she took the sooty handkerchief
from her ht ad end wiped her vet face u1tk
milGef form 6f Sssevefzfi0n would haSe
satisfied me Of the probability of the change
suggested being toher advantage. 1t was IN
VAIN she tried TO pacify the squallIDg child
al her lean bosom.
.'Hush, then, and mammy'n spare PEN
nv for half a pint of beer presently, and
then, perhaps, shell tuckle down a bit, !"
said the poor soul, as protesting against the
mockery offered it, the little rebel stiffened
itself out and refused either to unbend or
leave oil shrieking.
''Havent got no help In working 'em
alli No, master, I've got no help. How
much can l earn? Well. its rght-down
sla, cry to earn a penny an hour at Il. More
when this young un o.
mine is cross 1T lsn't more than nlnepence
for the whole day. No; We don't quite
live on that, sir, Pm 'lowanced two loaves
a week, but il nigh on four miles to fetch
'em, SO | don't know, reckoning the loss OF
time, that I'm much richer after all. I'm
sure | don't know what's coming to the
work, aud the price they're giving for it.
Its almost as bad as chain making"
''ls that worse than nail-makingf'
''For the women it is. Just you go to
Crsdley and ask EN-"
1t was 100 late TO follow her advice that
night but did so next day.