Omaha daily bee., 1890-09-16
HARD LOT OF A sE1AM,TH Ess
She Works Fifteen Hou urs n Day for
Thirty five Cents.

A very pathetic story is told by ;
Wealtf ny New \ Orll woman, whostumbiet
accidental ly upon one of these IN artyr,
o1the sewing mac hine, say the Illus;
tmted American. She was looking II I
an Old pensioner. a former servant, wb {
bad fallen into distress. and. foll OWN :
the directions given, found herself in :
more than ordinary squalid back tene
ment. On the fOurth floor, seeing adoo,
ajar, the visitor gave a couple OF sharr
KNOCKS This summons was ra5)eated
again ana again without recogni i
tlon. Hearing the CHATTER of n ma.
chime, the lady entered, and stood il
dumb establishment on the threshold.
Near the window, seated on anupturned
Soap-bo& was woman, her head and
shoulders bent at painful angle. A
1llmSy, narrow bed and machine were
the only two piecesof furniture in the
room. On another inverted box sat n
tin wash basin, while the diugy lnantel.
shelf held fragment of look ing glass. a
plate, cup and tunDler. That was abs O.
lutely everything to be seen, save on the
dlngY cOverlet Of the couch, VIII ere. in
marked contrast to the wretched poverty
olthe place, We're heapcd mum bers OF
eSquisitcly fine infants robes. These
long, snow-white, dainty gowns. rare
cOnfcctlonso of lace and n0edlework, only
helped to accentuate their grim sur.
rOundmgs: and, implied by a
plIiful curiosity the intruder crossed
The room TO where It's IN istreSs sat bowed
over her needle, The lady brush ed tn @
seam stresses elbow before she looked
up with a half-mcant stare. Slowly the
situation dawned upon her, and risin Q
she asked, in the shy low voice peculiar
4 q gha nitl "a l.,
visitor The wea liness, meek despair.
and sorowlul lines in the woman s face
brought rush of tears tony eyes, and
continued the narrator. "Shcwas Thin
and bent, and held her needle with hot,
nervous fingers that trembcd at every
stitch, l explained my intru sion as best
could, and then cndeavored 10 ofiud
out sonnet hing Of the poor creatures
condition. She said she made the
finest quality Of infants caps and
robes for a shop butwork as she might
twas only possible to kecpsoul and
body toge ther. Sewing from half-past 7
in the moning until night she could
only make half frOck, SO narrow and
numerous were the tIchsuud so MANY
the tiny bits OF lace and en- broidery 10
be set in. Thus She earned IS cents n
Gay; spent 10 cents for food, the rest |
going TO py room and machine rent
and buy the medicines needed tokeep
her ont of bed Her skill and taste
counted forno thing, and she dared not |
complain for fear Of losing eventhis |
poor patronage" The story was II long
one OF sickness and debt; W hen driven
by necessity she accepted any terms
offered A loan sufficient to insure
comfort was extended and
accepted, and taking the number OF the
store the lady drov away to investigate
tho cXtontO Of injustice this seamstress
had suffered. Inquiry prod uced dupIi
Gates Of frOcks she had seen already tha
marked SO, EXDostulation
against the high price was useless. The
clerk declared that the cost OF making
was TOO expensive toilet the frOck 90 for
penny less. il was some relief 10 tho
ady % speak her mind and assure the
proprietor he had one slave lesS To count
lpon.