December 12th , 1882 Â
Violet Hodges Â
Age: 9 Â
Work: Seamstress Â
Dear Journal, Â
I am 9 years of age now. My birthday was yesterday. I live with my mother, my dad, and my three kin: Heather (13 yrs), Peter(2 yrs), and Rosemary(6 mths). Â
Today would have been another tiring day not surprisingly. I woke up at 4 am to go to work at the production line. My sister Heather and I strolled there. We were running late. I didn't will have breakfast. I haven't in quite a while. When I had the opportunity to work I began to deal with the dress that I had begun yesterday. Somebody was gazing at me. It was the man in the uniform. He continued shouting at me since I was peering out the window. My sister murmured for me to stop it since we truly need the cash. Outside the window I saw a few young men and young ladies, much the same as me, playing in the road. I felt feelings that I have never experienced. I was furious and envious of those children. That man beat me with a stick for not working. My discipline was unreasonable. I didn't get my standard half hour mid-day break. He made me work straight through it! My stomach snarled. My hands and back hurt. I wish I could go out in play like those different children. Be that as it may, I wager they would gaze at me. I have a slouched back and my arms aren't with respect to my minuscule body. I worked long and hard until Heather disclosed to me the time had come to leave. We had been excused. Our day of work was finished. It's 6pm. Â
My days are so horrendously long. I used to just work 10 hours every day. Since Thomas Edison concocted the light, I work 14 hours per day with just two brief breaks: one for lunch and one for dinner. Every so often I have no breaks. Today I never got a break. My compensation is just 20 pennies per day, however most young men more youthful than me get 25 to 30 pennies. I don't get why. Mama and Daddy state I need to work or we will be living in the city. Â
Life is so uncalled for. Â
Love, Â
Violet