The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-11-22
SEAMSTRESS' TRIALS
LAW OF COMPENSATION SEEMS
INOPERATIvE WITH HER.
Hardest Thing About The Work
Is In Adjusting Oneself To Whims
OF Women---Their Attitude OF Con.
tempt and Indifference.
BY IDA A. TALBERT.

BY IDA A. TALBERT.
Whoever said: THE law OF com
pensation Is ever operative" | an
certain. never had been seamstress
| think, too, have been more fort
innate in my experience than many
as ! have sewed generally for peopi,
who knew me before the bank fail
ed, and SO appreciate better how
hard 1t Is and how humiliating
writes, Ida A. Talbert.
Some years ago, when the visible
supply became almost invisible and
certain dear girls wanted to go &c
college. or In other ways take expert
training-it occurred to me that my
needle having done active service In
the family for fifteen years. might
be made a money producer, and | be-
| gan modestly and ! have succeeded
| fairly we'll
| think | shall voice the sentiment
OF every needlewoman when say
that tie hardest thing about the
work is adjusting oneself to the
whims of women ~
One morning not long ago, | was
obliged to start out in pouring
rain. | was wet when got on to
the open car, and after riding three
miles and walking three blocks was
drenthed when arrived at my desti-
nation. Beyond taking my umbrel-
la moi hing was said, and | was al
lowed to sit all day In my wet
clothes, not even being invited into
the kitchen to drip.
Sometimes at five minutes past 5
am greeted by a nervous woman
with: Well, you did come after all;
| had given you up for to-day. Please
get something started at once, so
can help.
Another woman. different in char
acter, is asleep when you arrive; her /
husband greets you cheerfully and
says; Here Is a petticoat for the !
baby. Mrs G. is not up yet.
think the petticoat is for you to sew
on
There Is nothing visible to sew with
so you wait, thinking of those prec-
lous minutes that might have been
spent at home and at last Mrs. G.
appears in kimono or less-she has
not any thread, she apologizes-and
BY the time the thread arrives there
are no buttons or hooks or pins
and this woman is sure to wonder
what you have been doing all day.
Perhaps the hardest Of all is the
ussy woman who stands In front or
he glass for forty-fye minutes try
ng to find a wrinkle not there, or
don't you think this Is too full or
90 narrow, too far or too near, too
Ugh or too low"-and you pin and
npin until your knees tremble and
he foundations OF your stomach col
,pse.
On one occasion served at beau
ful house where | spent the night
nd was put into bed with soiled
heets. Imagine. II you can. the
ceilings OF a fastidious woman un-
err those circumstances. or when
iven soiled napkins or towels. 4
Another person who tries the
cart of seamstress to evaporation
the one who fairly counts the pins Y
nd needles.
One OF these once asked me what | n
ould charge for making an unlined
ain silk waist for nurse in our
mily." | said "One dollar" Lat
: she brought me silk for a waist
at was far from plain, and when | It
larged her si25. she grew pale a
It'll anger and slammed Sis on a
e table saying. that is all | have o.
lth me" Also It was all / ever re- "
iyed. She came to me afterward II
get a pattern for a garment that &c
Id given great satisfaction. ! Of ~
red to give II to her but was told y"
oily, "the person who wishes IL is ~
lie to pay or IT," and after much
eamb BILE she paid me l o cents.
For myself | care little. have
any interests In life outside, but IN
hat OF the dear women who have ca
homes? bi
To the woman choosing sewing as ul
occupation. | should say Don't dc
/ IL you will. then take a blithe,
ppy heart with you, do your level
st, expect nothing but your money
,m those you work for and never n
der any circumstances talk" A m
amstress who talks about herself h,
others, will never be q success. ol
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