ABSTRACT
At half-past seven, and in some factories at eight, the engine slacks its pace (seldom stopping) for a short time, tili the hands have cleaned the machinery9 and swallowed a little food. It then goes on again, and continues at full speed tili twelve o’clock, when it stops for dinner. Previously to leaving the factory, and in her dinner-hour, she has her machines to clean. The distance of the factory is about five minutes5 walk from her home. I noticed every day that she came in at half-past twelve, or within a minute or two, and once she was over the half hour; the first thing she did, was to wash herseif, then get her din ner (which she was seldom able to eat), and pack up her drinking for the afternoon. This done, it was time to be on her way to work again, where she remains, without one minute5s relaxation, tili seven o5clock; she then comes home, and throws herseif into a chair exhausted. This repeated six days in the week (save that on Saturdays, she may get back a little earlier, say, an hour or two), can there be any wonder at
their preferring to lie in bed tili dinner-time, instead of going to church on the seventh ? Is this the way, my Lord, to make “ our sons grow up as the young plants,” and “ our daughtersto become as the polished corners of the temple ? ”
