Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-10-25
TIE CHILD IN TIE hill.
Picture of Children in industrial
.SidrerY.

Picture of Children in I"a'sfrtat
.SidceTy.
A pallid little child tolls in the rae
!orv; his mates are as wan and pale as
he. When at evening from work he
,reeps homeward, tired and limp, he
sees the merry schoolboys strolling back
from play, hearty and plump faced;
laughing, leaping, carelessly swinging
their bats, at random tossing ball, full
Of fun and sport, hungry from the fresh
air and healthy exercise. He never
meets them going schoolward; when
they begin to store up in their brains
more of life's wonderful story than they
knew yesterday, already, for two hours,
he has been at work. Brief and rare
are the snatches of the story that may
reach his ears, while yet they are open
to receive it. Ever the task intending,
the same thing over hour after hour,
day after dag, week after week, month
after month, year after year. How he
would like to laugh and leap and play
But childhood's privilege for him was
long ago abridged. Still, now and
then his thoughts make daring sport
while his hands keep on unceasing at
their task: what fun 'twould be to
snarl up all these threads, and let the
shuttles jump about all heller SHELTER,
like rats in the basement when the river
rises and browns them out'
But play for him exists in thoughts
alone; and soon even thoughts of play
will cease, since the stream Of knowl-
edge is turned away from him, and
dulled by lack Of use, like we'll made
tool grown rusty, he soon forgets to
think at all.
The gates Of his mind swing heavily
to, and open only to the duties known
to the sentry by accustomed entrance
to serve coarse daily wants. Then,
plodding, he goes through life with
body distorted and stunted, with soul
repressed and crushed-perhaps he
vaguely wonders why? this unsightly
ruin of Gods most holy temple.
Yes, why is it thus in nation called
free? Why is it thus amid people
protesting love OF him who loved little
children? What offense can be charged
against these little ones, condemned to
early toll and slowly darkening minds
while learning's lamp stand freely lit to
guide their fortune-favored fellows
Perchance for lack of merit?
Great indeed is their offense: Their
parents are poor, and therefore have
been Of the brats that they breed!
Yes, the children are slaves, and bar
barous state mocks their bondage with
laws that their owners must break.
For enactments declare that the child
shall be schooled, but It's easy to lie in
q matter Of age, and no one especially
cares.
So the child slaves keep toiling on,
and strong armed mon in vain seek
work, or work for scanty hire; for the
lords of the mills have greed; cheap to
them is child labor, and gold is more
precious than souls in their eyes, but
dear comes that toll to the State. In
ancient times twas thought no wall
could ever stand unless with the blood
of slaves the mortar was mixed.
We now are wiser, we deem, since
superstition rules us no more Still,
upon our mill owners heads lies the
guilt for the blood of those held in
bondage-blood that might swell the
veins of the children, We're they not
held captive within factory walls.-Syl-
ueste,' Barter, IN the Pilot.