ery
advantage." It was a little trim delft-blue linen frock with a white
pique collar and a loose blue tie. She had tan stockings and low russet
shoes. Fanny belonged to the Working-man's Circle. She said she went as
often as she could possibly afford it to the theatre. And when she was
asked what plays she liked, she replied with an unforgettable keenness
and eagerness, "Oh, I want nothing but the best. Only what will tell me
about real life."

She said she had spent too much money for dress last year; but she had
been able to buy clothing of a quality which she thought would last her
for a long time. The little plain gold watch in her list she had partly
needed and partly had been unable to resist. One of the three summer
dresses costing $14 was her blue linen dress, for which she had given $7.
She expected to wear it for two summers with alterations.

Last year's suit cleaned $ 3
Shoes 11
Hat 10
Dresses (1 winter, $10; 3 summer, $14) 24
Coat 9
Every-day hat 4.50
Muslin (for white waists and corset covers made by herself) 5
Umbrella 2
Gloves 2
Pocket-book 1
Watch 11
______
$82.50

Painful as it was in some ways to see Fanny Leysher, who liked "nothing
but the best," pouring her life force into stitching 108 corset covers a
day, she yet seemed less helpless than some still younger workers.

Minna Waldemar, a girl of sixteen, an operative in an umbrella factory,
had been in the United States for six months. For five months of this
time she had been stitching the seams and hems of umbrella covers for 35
cents a hundred. Her usual output was about 200 a day. By working very
fast, she could in a full day make 300, but when she did, it left her
thumb very sore.

Minna paid $3 a month for sleeping space in a tenement; $1.75 a week for
suppers; and for breakfasts and lunch