Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
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By MARGARET E. WINSLOW
Author of "Miss Malcolm's Ten," "Three Years at Glenwood," etc.
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Copyright, 1885,
By Congregational Sunday School and Publishing Society.
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To the many boys and girls who are in early years earning an honorablesupport for themselves, or else assisting their parents by working infactories; to the multitudes of young church members, who may be glad ofsome practically helpful suggestions in surmounting the difficulties andresisting the temptations incident to their new lives; to mill-owners,who feel their solemn responsibility, as in the sight of God, for theintellectual and spiritual welfare of their operatives; and chiefly tothe young Christian manufacturer who has been the model from which thepicture of "Mr. James" has been copied,—this story, whose incidents aremostly true ones, is dedicated.
That the Holy Spirit may make use of it to inculcate in young hearts asense of honorable independence, a conviction of the dignity offaithfully performed work, and, above all, an earnest and irrevocablechoice of God's blessed service and an entire committal of their ways tohim, is the sincere prayer of
SAUGERTIES, July 1, 1885.
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"But, mother, it isn't as if I were going away from home, like the Lloydgirls; you might have a right to cry if that were the case."
"I know, dear; it's all right, and I ought to be very thankful; but I'ma foolish woman. I can't bear to think of my little girl, whom I haveguarded so tenderly, going among all those girls and men, and fightingher way in life."
"I don't think I shall be much of a fighter," laughed Katie, looking ather diminutive hands; "and why is it any worse to go among the boys andgirls in the factory than among the boys and girls in school? You neverminded that."
"That was different—you weren't doing it for money. O me! what would Ihave thought when I married your father if any one had told me that hischild, his girl child, would ever have to earn her bread!"
"Well, mother, I won't go," said the girl, her bright looks fading away,"if you don't want me to; but I don't know what Mr. Sanderson willthink, he tried so hard to get me into the mill, and it was such a favorfrom Mr. Mountjoy. You said you were very thankful."
"So I was, so I am; but—but you don't understand, and perhaps it'sbetter you should not. I'll try not to grumble."
This was promising more than Mrs. Robertson was able to perform perhaps,for she was a chronic and inveterate grumbler. But she had some excusein the present circumstances, for Katie was, as she said, her baby, andthe "apple of her eye." Married when quite young to the handsome andintelligent young village doctor, she certainly had not expected ever tobe placed in a position where her children, her girls at least, wouldneed to earn their own bread. But in a few short years the doctor diedof a contagious disease he had