The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-23
WOMEN VINO SEW ON SUNDAY.
Observations or n Practice which Seems to n
Growing Common Here.

Observations OF n Practice which Seems to ne
Growing Common Here.
"on these shut.in midwinter days the man
who has a t~op-foor front room in a residence
district, particularly II the house happens TO DO
n story higher than those opposite. has q rare
chance to study his neighbours habits" said Mr..
Sceitall. Everybody sits by the window so as
to catch oil tho light there is. and behind the
broad panes life as 1t Is lived, not merely in one
or two families. but in a dozen or more, goes on
right under his eyes.
What has struck me most In this panoramic
view of my opposite neighbors' habits and Gus
toms Is the number Of women who sew on Sum
day. Tho church bells ring, and tho sound Of
tho churchgoers' footsteps comes from the
street below; but there sit the sewerss stitching
away as placidly as II the hour wero 1890 of o
Tuesday. or o Wednesday. or q Saturday morn
ing. instead OF the s~et-apart Sabbath. Two
women in adjoining houses overlooking my
windows embroider all Sunday morning. You
can see them set their stitches. slowly and dill.
gently for a while. and then clip Off the
thread and hold the linen square to the light to
SEQ tho effect. One OF them makes n practice Of
biting off her thread. and I often think that the
dye in the colored floss is not good for her.
Even II 1 could not distinguish the colors I
can tell from the motions of a worker whether
she is doing ornamental fancy work or merely
plain sewing. Ono young woman whom l have
garments on hand to sew on on Sunday. I make
her out TO be a elf-supporter who is employed
sewing society work. understand that q great
many women belong to, church societies and
sSko h9mo w garments c6mr to make ona up re,n These
arc sold. and in that way many q
girl who has as not mS9'ney to give may
the young woman who sews on the thin,looking
little white garments on Sunday is employed
house at o certain hour each morning and re-
turn at q certain hour each afternoon. Some Of
In l women who% fur ! Sss se% %naE. ON Sunday On live q
room had omitted to draw tho shades l Looked
one of whom seemed to be o caller. sat talking.
and near them were a couple Of children discuss.
At a side table, q woman sat ombroiderine, an
expression of pleased interest on her face as she
listened to the conversation.
Now. I don't mean to say that there is any
harm in a woman's sowing on Sunday, whether
she darns stockings. as i understand q good
sewing society, work. I would never have
thought OF mentioning It at all II 1 had not
how common a custom 1t has come TO be. Ow.
i ins to any nnd 9dT a ri t6a upi t the b s1s days tS an shai tb snSg
me still. I know that there are women in many
parts Of the Union to-day who are SO
OF Sabbath Observance that they would blush
to be caught with needle and scissors in
hand on the Lords day. and never on any 40
count would they take a stitch after l2 o'clock
on Gnm SATURDAY, night Rao tim unless tSi. pressing m;ha t emergency sIes1 q
these comfortable, happily circumstances wo-
men sewing away -placidly. when other people
are going to church and the church bells are
ding.donging a reminder, makes mo think that
o considerable leavening of the old-time riRor
has taken place. I am told. also, since my atten-
tion has been drawn to the subject. that there
are women who do not hesitate to sew on the
machine on Sunday--ela;ter chatter. %slat.sr tho
stitched. A fair neighbor of mine in a lodging
house confided that she was forced to give up
her apartment because the woman in the room
next to her Ia well appearing person. 1t seems)
persisted in using the sewing machine on Sun.
day. a practice which she regarded as little
short Of monstrous. She said she liked to live
with civilized people. OF this feature of Sunday
sewing ! cannot say. My neighbors in tho
d%aintily. approximately. as though their occu:
patton were moro a pleasure than n task. The
way that they do their sewing makes IL seem
far less n violation Of the old commandment on
the table of stone than writing would be. or
gossipipg. Only when you think of the whole
citiesful Of people in conservative parts OF the
country who would look upon these TRANQUIL
sewers as heather, it puts u different face on
the matter"