Page:Wages in US 1908-1910.djvu/19

Rh he was hungry—in fact, since the last two children came and the family began its dry bread and coffee diet, his stomach has been constantly quoting Oliver Twist's famous saying: "Please, sir, I want some more."

The two girls, ten and eight, are ill-dressed and ragged. They do not make a good appearance at school (their brother ceased to attend last year for that reason). They feel uncomfortable,—so uncomfortable that they are not benefiting particularly by the geography and mental arithmetic which are administered daily in liberal quantities. The whole family has been living an indecently crowded life,—eating, washing, dressing and sleeping in three small rooms, therefore these girls are "wise." Their learning, not of the books, is amazing in extent and is readily available. Upon meeting other women, eight and ten years of age, they constantly employ this learning in appalling conversations.

A higher wage would provide this family with food, clothing, a good house of decent size, medicines, attendance; for the mother is a good manager, and the father a hard-working and sober, though a sick man. The children would attend school decently clad, and would lead decent lives