Connecticut western news., 1884-04-09

of sugar, one pound oatmeal, one pint of beans, two ten-cent loaves of bread, one soupbone and perhaps it costs couple of cents a week for salt, pepper and herbs for my soup. I buy quarter of pound of butter a week and some times I get a little milk for my tea. The things have enumerated generally form my bill of fare for week. I take tea and bread for breakfast, and have beef soup for two days from one bone and soup two days from the beans. 1 have tea and bread for supper. forgot to say that buy half pound of liver for Sunday, and half pound of bacon some other day. Once in A while I buy quart of potatoes, which I bake in place of the liver. The oatmeal, I for got to mention, cook and eat cold for breakfast, for cannot work hard all day without something more nourishing than tea and bread. spend about S1. 25 for food, and it cost me 4 cents a week for kerosene. I must save and pinch very closely to be able to buy shoes and clothes. Only that had some I don't know what I should do. I don't know how the other women get along. Some times four and even six club together and pay room rent, and they say they find 1t costs less for food; but I am not sure about that I never waste a par ticle of food, and I think if had it I could even eat more than do; and I doubt if they get it cheaper than I do.
 "It is indeed a hard life. You will find among those who do what is called 'slop work more decayed gentlewomen than those who have been born to poverty, for those who were born of poor parents are generally put to learn trades, which, though none too well paid, still afford a better living. Those who were never obliged to learn trade in youth, when reverses came are only able to do such work as this. You may be sure that tried to do better, yet you see me here, glad when have health and work. One of the greatest trials of this kind of life is that one is almost obliged to live in dirt, for the woman who works for her very bread must not leave that work for a minute. Sunday I generally employ cleaning up my room, mending my clothes and those of poor woman living two flights down, who washes mine in exchange. don't go to church. The washerwoman I mention earns a dollar and half day four days in the week, besides which she gets a good many little presents from the people where she works and her meals. She is strong and well. I wish I could do washing.
 "Did ever try for any other work but this?
 "For one year tried to get position as governess, housekeeper, copyist in a store, and received only insult for my ad- vertisements. then began answering advertisements, as my money was all gone. I still found no honest position. I don't say honorable, for only asked for honest employment. was too old for a 'saleslady, too unattractive to draw  custom, and too particular I was told on two occasions when sought employ ment as housekeeper. and asked the men about their families and refused to go in the capacity they offered. I have been book agent, and prefer this life. Oh, 1t was not without long, hard fight against fate that I drifted into this slaves life, and worse, for slaves at least had food and shelter and care when sick; but here am, and only form one out of an army who work as do. I don't complain. I ought to be content, for ] am capitalist in a small way, as own a sewing-machine. A firm for whom worked at making mems underwear sold it to me on instalments to be paid for in work. It was secondhand machine, and worked for it and paid S45. Il kept me bound to them for three years, to earn my bread and pay for that"