THE SEAMSTRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1241, 11 September 1875, Page 19

THE SEAMSTRESS.

Oh, yes, I liked working at that shop, because there was so much thought for everybody, even down to the lowest. Great big place as it was, the master 'iinself used to superintend everythink, an' never even passed one of U3 takinggirls without giving us " Good morning," or " Good evening," as pleasant as if we'd been 'is ekils ; an' if there was a order on for which he were in a great 'urry, he'd come into the work-room, perhaps, an' say : — "Now, please, I want you all to make great 'aste for me, an' finish this afore dinner. Take two hours instead of one arterwards, to make up, if you like." An', dear heart ! we'd ha' done anythink for 'im, an' sewed away all day without dinners, when he spoke that way. I wish all shops were like that one, but they ain't— far from it! Why, at one where I worked some time, it was nothing but drive, drive, drive, an' urry, 'urry, an' sharp words all day. And the pay ! Well; now, mm, what d'you think they gave me for ladies' long white petticoats, made by hand, nine tucks in each, besides the seams, hem, band, and button-hole / Eightpence ! Yes, it's true, and they had to be so neatly done, I could 'ardly get more nor one an' a bit finished in a day, An' trimmed chemises, with pretty crossover sleeves, and two rows of featherstitch on the insertion, was only tenpence. Ah ! I've heard ladies praising of that shop, an' aayin' as the things was so reasonable, considering how beautifully they •was made and finished t Per'aps they wouldn't ha' thought so much of the reasonableness if they'd known it was at the expense of the poor girls' fingers, an' eyesight, an' 'ealth. Work all day, an' 'alf the nighfc too, I couldn't keep the rent paid an' buy food out of what X earned in that shop ; an' I was expectin' my baby just then, an' not over strong. I think that it was that first shook my 'ealth, and talkin' of it always minds me of some verses I've 'card my 'usband sing :—: — " Oh, men with sisters and wives t It is not linen you're wearin' out, But human beings' lives. Leastways, I think that's how they go ; but there, I'm always that busy 1 often get 'old of the wrong end of the thing, an' particularly of rhymes, for they run in my head as I sit over my work, an' get mixed up together somehow. How long do it take me to make a shirt by 'and 1 Well, mm, it depends. I was doin' some linen ones for a lady's 'usband not long since. She was in a 'urry for *em, an' I worked extra hard ; but I don't think none on 'em took me less than a day. an 1 a 'alf. Of course, they'd the very best of work in 'em, an she paid me very well — three-and-sixpence a piece. Oh, yes, mm, private work pays much better than shops as a rule. That's 'ow you often manage to geb ready-made things so much cheaper than you can buy the material an' put it out to be made. You couldn't do it otherwise. There's very few shops like that big one as I was A-telling you of at first.— CasselVs Magazine,