Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1905-01-20
POLLY LARK|N

There are ways and ways of making
a living in San Francisco, and some
occupations try both body and soul of
the toiler for the wherewithal to main
tain life in the most economical man
ner, luxuries being unknown in their
simple life. One little lady, Polly
knows, who has seen better days, and
who has shed many tears over the turn
of the tickle wheels of fortune when
their fortune melted away, and grad
ually their piano, their beautiful furni-
ture, carriage and horses, and all the
accompanying luxuries disappeared one
after the other, is making necktles for
a living, and the fingers that formerly
had only to glide over the ivory keys
of her piano, are busy from morning
until night fashioning the little silk
bows, and how much do you think she
receives for this work? Just twenty
five cents dozen, and she has to work
hard at times to make her dollar day,
although at times she has earned as
much as dollar and half. Occasion
ally her little silver-haired mother, who
lies painfully ill with rheumatism in
her little white bed, is able to assist her,
and her thin emaciated fingers dis
torted by the dread disease, fashions
the bows and gets them ready for her
daughter to sew; in that way they have
some times made two dollars day, and
the extra amount always goes to buy
some little delicacy for the invalid
mother, or some comfort in the way of
a. magazine or something to make the
sufferer forget for the time being her
great suffering. The daughter is fitted
to do clerical work of some kind, or to
teach the languages, but never for a
moment will she allow herself to think
of anything of the kind, for that would
take her from the invalid mothers
side, and she needs her sunny presence
and gentle ministrations to make life
bearable.
In other instances where women and
girls must toll, girls are toiling in bot
tling works, factories of all kinds,
where they work for modest sums
through all the long hours of the day.
When the hour comes for closing and
the big doors swing widely to let this
little army of workers pour into the
streets, many of them looking weary
and wan, some just dragging themselves
along, and with look Of misery on
their faces that haunts you long after
they have passed from your sight.
Others who have not worn out in the
tread mill of work, work, work, with
out any respite, come with a laugh on
their lips and their eyes sparkling with
happiness that the day is ended and
they are free to do as they will for the
next few hours. The very essence of
true happiness to many of these toilers
in canneries and factories lies in the
Sunday picnics and the cheap theaters,
which their limited purse allows them
to frequent, and they avail themselves
of this diversion much oftener than is
good for these girls of unmatured minds,
many of them being not much over
fourteen or fifteen years of age. ''Why
do you work; why don't you go to
school?" asked lady. recently of one
of these little factory girls, who was as
pretty as a picture and very conscious
of the fact. "Why don't 1 go to
SCHOOL," echoed the young girl in sur
prise at such question, "Well, that
beats me. Why don't 1 go to school :?
Simply because have to help make a
living for the family. There's seven
children in the house and Pm the old
est. l had my turn at going to school
and had to leave when l was twelve
years old. l hated to leave school for l
liked it, and liked the teacher l had
last too; but what are you going to do
when children keep on filling up the
house. They've got to be fed and have
clothes, and take their turn in going to
school. One can't have all, so l was
the Oldest and had to quit school first
and help support the family. Even if l
could go back to school to-day would
be ashamed for l am SO far behind in
my studies. Pm real old back num-
ber. The rest of the kids can walk all
around me when it comes to learning,
but 1 don't let them know it; they've
had more chance than 1 have. I'd
rather be an actress than anything else,
but that requires learning and lots OF
study, SO try to be contented. l can
paste on more labels in day than any
body else in the factory. That's some
thing, and the other girls are envious.
The trouble is, they don't stick to busi-
I n