New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-31
PRISONERS OF POVERTY.
WOMEN wAGE-wORKERS, THEIR HOMES
AND THEIR LIVES.
BY HELEN CAMPBELL
III.
Copyright. 1856.

tts bocan In nave place each one a count in the
indictment of the civilization f to-day. AMI each
snc the story not oniv Of L Sc but OF many an
other in like case For the stu, ent Of condiii rs
among working women iscovels that workers
di idc themselves naturally into four classes
q These who ha' made deliberate choice OF a
tr.sic fitted Themselves carefully 10 AMI in time
become experts, certain Of employment and oft
of becoming themselves employers. ~ T.
who by death other accident of fort ne ha
been thrown upon their ovn resources an &c
bin " the fist means Of support that offers.
sometimes developing unexi ected power and meet
iny with the same SUCCESS the first as. ~
T1,ose who have xn own no other life but that OF
work aud who accept that to which Gev m'st IN
cline with neither energy ability cnou 10
rise beyond a certain level AMI a. those who
would not work at all sa for the pressure of ov
eIty. and who make effort to gain more knowl
edge or 10 impro c. iii rs But the ebb N |
flow i'm this great OF tOi ing humanity wires out
al dividing lines ard each c'ass shales nto The
next that formal division becomes impossible but
is rather series of interchan es with no confine
rnent 10 fixed limits Often in passing from one
trade TO another chance brings about much the
same result for each class. an no energy or a
tience of effort is sufficient to check the incvita
BILE descent into the valley of the shadow. where
desnair walks forever hand in han with endeaN or
This time had by no means come for Rose with
3ist enough Of her happy go lucky fathers nature
to make her ESSENTIALLY OF timistic- Born In a
Cherry ST. tenem ni-house. she ma ref'sei to be
killed by semi star alton, foul SINE Is or dirt
Of anv nature whatsoever. Dennis Haggerty
'longshoreman professionally, and doer of all odd
Jobs in the interN ais of his discharges and
engagements. exp aimed tie situation to his own
satisfaction If not to that Of Rose and the Fl e
other small Haggertys n NJ from the brood
Of twelve
If man wants his drink that bad. that no
matter what he's said night he'd sell his sui
by the time mornIn comes for even thmbletul
hes got jist TO 20 To destrct, an there's NJ
sthoppin' him An I've small call to be banI n
NOrsh whin she comforts herself bit IN the same
manner Of way. nor Will | SO lon-'s names
Dennis Haggerty But you Rose YOU LOOK out
an get any MONEY you'll find n me pockets. an
keep the children taght, an al the saints II
you through the job
Rose listened. tie laugh in her blue eyes shad-
bwed by tie sense Of responsibility that by seven
was fully developed She did not wonder that
her mother drank. Why not. when there was no
fire in the stove and nothin- To cook if there had
been. and the children counted it gaia day when
they had scIapinI Of butter On the bread
But. as often rappens IN these cas.s, the dis INST
al smell an taste of liquor grew with every month
OF her HE, and TWO at least OF The IuluI' n ell
It. They were never beaten for Haggerty at
his worst remained good natured, an when sober
went maudiin tears MS flock and swore that
no drop should ever pass his iIs a ain ami No ah
echoed every word, AMI for days perhaps washed
and scrubbed and secured earning fair wages,
and gradually redeeming the clothes or furniture
pledged round tie corner. Rose went TO school
when she had any thlns TO wear, and lea ned IN
time. when she saw the first symptoms Of another
debauch TO bun ile every wearable thlns TO ether
and take them ami all small properties 10 the old
Shoemaker the inst floor where they remain Il
In hiding till it was safe to produce them a
She had lea ned this and many another method
before the fever which suddenly appeared in early
spring took not only her father and mother but
the small Dennis whose career as nevvsboy had
been her pride and delight and who had been
relied upon half OF least or their future de-
pendence There remained then. Norah. hopelcssly
tncurable OF sp nal disease, and helpless 10 move
save as Rose lifted her. and the three little ones
as to whose special gifts there yet no
Definite knowledge In the meantime they
simply three very clamorOus mouths u be st pred
with such food as might be, and Rose entered a
bag-factory q block away lea, in br a AMI knife
and molasses- pitcher BY Norahs bed. and tIusin-
The saints to avert disaster from the three exper-
nentng babies She earned the fist month ten
Dollars. two ami half week but being ex-
cepuOnally quick promoted in the second to
four dollars weekly. The rent SIX dollars
month. and during the FIST the old shoe
maker came TO the rescue. had OcC nal eye
to the children and himself aid the rent. tell
Rose TO return 1t when she could When the ten
hours labor ended. the child, barely fourteen.
rushed home. to cook something warm for supper
and when the children were comfortd and tucked
away in the wretched old bed that still was clean
la tL,s.
clothes and brought such order she could into
The fororn room.
1t the old shoemaker, patient sad-eyed
bid Scotchman. who also had his story. wh)
settled for her al last that machine must he hal
In order that she might work al home The woman
in the room back Of his. took in shirts from man
ufacturer on Divisionst, and made often seven
hnd eight dollars week She was ready TO teach
and in two three evenings Rose had practical y
mastered details and settled. that as she was so
young. she would not apply for work in person
but take IL through Mrs Molonev. who would be
Supposed to have gone in business on her own
account as q sweater Whatever Temptations
Mrs Noloney may have had TO make a little profit
De "middleman. she resisted. and herself saw
that the machine selected a good that
no advantage was taken Of Roses ineXperen0o
end that the agent had no Opport nifty b. follow
put what had now and then been his method. and
hint to the girl that her pretty face entitled her
10 concessions that would be best made in pri-
sate interview. Shame in e cry possible form
and phase had been part OF the girls knowledge
since babyhood, but 1t had slip ed away from
her. a foul garment might fall from the fair
Statue over which 1t had CHANGED to be thrown
Ii not the innocence Of ienorance-a poor
possession at best. 1t ingrsin.d repusion
born. Heaven knows how, and growing as
mysteriously with her growth, invisible YET
most potent armOr, recognized By every dweler
In the swsrming tenement She had her fathers
quick tongue and laughing eyes but they could
Hash well. and the few who tired coarse Jest