"
And, finally, let me instance the case of Harriet A. Walker, a young girl
of seventeen, killed while leading a forlorn hope on the industrial
battlefield. She was employed as an enamelled ware brusher, wherein lead
poisoning is encountered. Her father and brother were both out of
employment. She concealed her illness, walked six miles a day to and
from work, earned her seven or eight shillings per week, and died, at
seventeen.
Depression in trade also plays an important part in hurling the workers
into the Abyss. With a week's wages between a family and pauperism, a
month's enforced idleness means hardship and misery almost indescribable,
and from the ravages of which the victims do not always recover when work
is to be had again. Just now the daily papers contain the report of a
meeting of the Carlisle branch of the Dockers' Union, wherein it is
stated that many of the men, for months past, have not averaged a weekly
income of more than from four to five shillings. The stagnated state of
the shipping industry in the port of London is held accountable for this
condition of affairs.
To the young working-man or working-woman, or married couple, there is no
assurance of happy or healthy middle life, nor of solvent old age.
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