The Osceola times., 1882-08-05
CHILD SLAVES.
In Land Of christian Civilization limo
cent Childhood 10 Sacrificed to Msmmon


cent Childhood 10 Sacrificed to Msmm'n' !
Philadelphia labor World. Il
"Well what is the matter here?" asked
the World man as he stopped amid
knot of grave looking youngsters stand,
ing at the end of Flynn's Court in an old
part of Philadelphia, known as kensing-
ton. -,
"Why," said red haired urchin, with
considerable palpitation, James Ed
wards's dying" Dying of what? my
little man" HHe was hurt, sir. Had his
arm took off by the machinery" "How
old was Jamie?" queried Wthe orld man.
Dunno. ask Bucky Brown" Hey,
who wants Bucky?" said Napoleonic
diminutive, whose uncombed locks were
covered with large size grand army
cap. "Tell the gentleman how old Jamie
is" "Well," said Bucky after some re-
| Election, "he is one year older than me;
| he WAS ten on Christmas" Without ex-
tending the dialogue any further, the
World man walked up the narrow
thoroughfare and knocked at the end OF
an humble two story brick building.
"Are you Jamies Sunday school teach
err" asked a woman whose careworn
face depicted great sorrow. A shade OF
| disappointment mantled it when the
scribe told her he was not the person ex-
pected the room was small one, answer
ing for all purposes except the sleeping
chamber. The furniture was easily
counted, and the general appearance
conveyed the idea Of gentility struggling
with poverty. On an old settee near the
window lay the puny form of the suffer
ing Jamie, his pale face pinched with
pain, yet full of sweet repose. The
Guardian of the Poor physician stood at
the head of the impromptu couch, and
several neighbors stood around choking
with sobs, and momentarily expecting
to hear the doctor say the fatal words.
The silence was painful, and broken
by the arrival Of the Sunday school
teacher, who, after paying brief tribute
to the character of his little pupil, bid
all go down on their knees while he read
from a little black book the words Of
consolation and hope, his voice infected
By the emotions that swayed in his
bosom. As the clock struck six the
prayer was ended, and the doctor with a
trembling voice said "He has gone to
the place where the wheels do not spin,
nor the machinery roar, where there is
no more toll or suffering, and where the
weary are at rest"
After few moments spent in extend
ing their sympathies to Jamies mother,
the World man and the doctor left the
house and were soon amid the great tide
of humanity rushing 10 their homes, ap-
parently glad to escape the heat, the
noise, and the oppression of the work
shop. Just look on those faces" said
the man of medicine 10 the scribe. DO
you not see the elements of death at
work. Look at that bilious face, he is
scarcely II years old, yet marked with
the traces of care. Up early in the morn
ing, improperly cleansed, hasty break
fast, a rushing hurrying over three miles
to the workshop, breathing the stencil OF
heated oil, and the dust from the ma
chinery-the work bench for ten hours,
cold bite for dinner, a long walk for
supper, and all this dissi patton of COM
fort and health for the paltry sum OF $3.50
per week. Vow, young rnan; what do
you think Of this review Of the coming
men, with stunted forms and diseased
bodies? And oh my god the thought
staggers me! Clouded brains. dark souls,
and no hope but the thraldom of ignor-
ance and labor. Yes some die like Jamie,
crushed by the cruel teeth Of machinery,
others die stung by the temper, or stab.
bed by disease.
What bright buxom girls; the future
queens OF our freside That one is only
twelve, no schooling, no hope, but toll
from morning to night, no chance for
education, no influences that tend to re-
finenent; and, alas without even def
mite idea of the duties of womanhood.
| - ,nt IL tlaal 20 N
so mach beauty and promise offered on
the black altar of Plutus? Ia not that
girl with all her beauty flower amid
tares? Forced by the low wages of her
father into the workshop or the store,
marked by the voluptuous eve OF some
INSCRIPTIONS merchant for future assig-
nation; and no doubt before she reaches
the threshold of womanhood will have
all the pain and modification of nursing,
with all its bitterness, a sin.stained vir-
tue At this point the doctor and the
reporter parted, the former to his thera-
peutics, and the latter to his note book.
| Elbowing his way through the surging
crowd of toilers, the scribe wended his
way to the home OF old Pop" Harris, on
Morris street, recognized authority on
the subject Of child labor.
80 you come down TO have talk with
old Pop Harris" said the chatty patri-
arch, wiping his spectacles with the corn
er of a red pocket handkerchief as the
scribe divested himself of his ulster. 80
you want to know what the old man has
to say about child labor. Well well !!
well Pm kind of rusty on the subject,
but I'll Jog my thinker, and no doubt |
can dig out enough to set you all right
There never was much agitation on this
subject, People don't realize what his
thing is leading to. Go back, yes, back
bevond the time when you was Worn,
and was youngster just jumping into
nankeen trousers when Il ibert Peel
made things warm in England 1t was
he that called attention TO the great
danger OF centraliziug labor and he nd
vocated and caused to be passed the
great factory regulation act, which has
been frequently supplemented, and now
it is neat document, that is to read,
but the factory act on paper and the fac.
tory act in practical use is horse OF a
different color.
In the days when tho nation was
young, in nay own native state of Nassa-
chusetts the whole eastern part was
sprinkled with small shoe shops, neat
little buildings, twelve to twenty feet
square, where men were employed in
max ing Shoes Now where are they
They have been gathered in one large
concern, and what has cenlalz d them?
Nothing. cir, but ma ;hinery. The boy,
Watt, when experimenting with his
mothers tea kettle, searching for the
! 4 a.. 4