The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-08-17

These girls worked for 4 Gulden a
week-G1.6O), out of which they
paid for board 2 1-s Gulden or one
dollar per week. Their working hours
were from 8 o'clock in the morning
until 10 at night, including Sundays.
They were neat in appearance, as
they were obliged to be. They ate
their breakfast at home and as they
added I'VE are not permitted to take
time to eat anything, from the mo-
ment we enter the store at 8 o'clock
in the morning unit we reach home
about 1880 in the evening Then
we take supper and retire for the
night. We AXE some bread with us
from home and as we get a chance
we take a bite" They earned the
current wages OF sales-girls in such
places. Respectable poverty at less
than 25 cents a day.
The testimony of the dog with re-
gard to poverty is emphatic. In the
famous market place, before the old
town hall in Brussels, the peddlers'
usual thing. This draft-dOg, [ am
told, is specially bred for the pur-
pose, being like the cart-hOrse, big
boned and heavy, whatever his breed.
His life seems to make him ill-temper-
ed; it renders him also a tough
frequently he is hitched up as one OF
"a pair in a team, his mate being a
Dent and wrinkled woman
A great dexl, ont only Of market
produce, but goods to be delivered to
the household is hauled in Brussels
and Antwerp by dogs and their human.
assistants. In Antwerp the market
place and it's neighbOrhOOd the morn
ing I was there was a pendamOnium
with the barking of scores, aye, hun
dreds of dogs weary of their burden
and evidently protesting against their
lot. The Belgium law, in it's benevO-
lence. has taken recognition Of the
dog as a social factor. Before the
dog is permitted to be hitched up in
a cart he must have attained a GER
tain height and weight. OF course, no
such benevolent Consideration pro-
tects the m The dog with his
sad and surly looks seems not to be
satisfied with the social palliatives
for his protection. If he but knew
the strength of his jaws he might do
more than growl and bark, he might
go on a strike.
The delivery push-carts in Antwerp
cone man furnishing the power) are
In many cases as large as the two-
horse team wagons in use by the de-
partment stores in New York and
other large cities. Several circum-
stances contribute to this motor"
mans assistance. Many of the
streets have a smooth pavement, the
wagon has springs, the body being
evenly BALANCED On two huge wheels.
1t is almost astonishing how much
weight a draft-man can learn to push,
under these favorable conditions
and the despair of poverty. One
wagon, passing through a neighbor-
hood of fine houses, WAS loaded with
nearly 500 kilo loaves of bread. we'll
upon a thousand pounds in total
weight. Another hung with a score
of empty peddlers' market-baskets,
was being propelled by two boys, Of
perhaps 10 and Il years, and a wo-
man, apparently their mother. This
party had improved on the old style
of tie and ride: each took a turn at
riding, while the others pushed or
pulled at a lively trot oward the
market. I did not see them after
their baskets were filled. no doubt
they had studied out some little craft
tricks, to call in the aid of gravity. or
in some other way to tighten the
strain on them during the long trip
to he quarter of the city. their cart
sign told from whence they came.
Both logs as well as their team
mates, men. women or children. are
harnessed TO the wagons And vet a
great English economist has said ."The
POOR Will be as lazy as they can be-"