Sharp County record., 1890-11-27
GOThAMS WHITE SLAVES.
A Seamstress Works Fifteen Hours n
Day for Thirty Five Cents.


Day for Thirty Five Cents.
A very pathetic story is told by a
wealthy New York lady, who stumbled
accidentally upon one of the matyrs OF
tho sewing machine. She was looking
up an old pcnsioner, former servant.
who had fallen into distress, and, fol-
lowing the directions given, found her
self in more than ordinarily squalid
back tenement. On tho fourth floor
seeing a door ajar the visitor gave a
couple OF sharp knocks. This summons
was repeated again and again without
recognition. Hearing the clatter OF a
machine the lady entered, and stood in
dumb astonishment on the threshold.
Near the window, seated on an up.turn-
ed soap box, was woman, her head and
shoulders bent at painful
angle. A flimsy, narrow bed and
machine were the only two pieces Of
furniture in tho room. On another in
verted box sat a tin wash-basin, while
the dingy mantel-shelf held fragment
OF looking-glass, n plate, n cup and
tumbler That was absolutely every
thing to be seen, save on the dingy
coverlet of the couch, whore, in marked
contrast to the wretched poverty of the
place, were heaped numbers of
exquisitely fine infants robes.
Those long snow-while, dainty
gowns rare confections of lace
and needle work, only helped to accent
uate their grim surroundings; and, i'm
PEELED by pitful curiosity, the in
truder crossed the room to where its
mistress sat bowed over her needle
Tho lady brushed the seamstress' elbow
before she looked up with half-vacant
stare. Slowly the situation dawned
upon her, and rising sho asked, in the
shy, low voice peculiar to deaf people,
how she could serve her visitor. "The
weakness, meek despair and sorowful
lines in the woman's face broughtarush
Of tears to my eyes" continued the mar
rator "She was thin ami bent and
held her needle with hot nervous fingers
that trembled at every stitch. ex-
planned my intrusion as best could,
and then endoavored to find out some
thing of the poor creatures condition.
She said she made the finest quality Of
infants caps and robes for shop, but
work as she might it was only possible
20 keep soul and body together. Sowing
from half-past seven in the morning
until night she could only make half
frock, so narrow and numerous were
the tucks and so many the tiny bits
Of lace and embroidery to be set
in. Thus she earned thirty-fve
conts a day; spent fifteen cents for food,
the rest going to pay room and machine
rent and buy tho medicines needed TO
keep her out Of bed. Her skill and taste
counted for nothing, and she dared not
complain for fear Of losing even this
poor patronage" The story was a long
one of sickness and debt; when driven
by necessity she accepted any terms Of
fored. A loan sufficient TO insure tenn
porary comfort was extended and ac-
cepted, and taking the number OF the
store the lady drove away to investigate
the extent of injustice this Seamstress
had suffered Inquiry had produced
duplicates of froclls she had seen al
ready that morning, marked fifteen
dollars. Expostulation against the
high price was useless. The clerk de-
clared that the cost of making was too
expensive to let the frock go for penny
less. 1t was some reliof to the lady to
speak her mind and assure tho propric-
tor ho had one slave loss to count
upon, but going homo great despair
took possession of the amateur philan-
thropist in view of overwhelming ty.
ranny she had set out to combat Illus
trated American.