Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: PLAIN SEWING; HOW TO ENCOURAGE THE POOR. " Do you know of any poor body who does plain sewing?" asked Mrs. Lander of a neighbour upon whom she called for the particular purpose of making this inquiry. " I have a good deal of work that I want done, and I always like to give my plain sewing to people that need it." " I think I know of a person who will suit you," replied Mrs. Brandon, the lady to whom the application had been made. " She is a poor widow woman, with four children dependent upon her for support. She sews neatly. Yesterday she brought me home some little drawers and night-gowns that were beautifully made. I am sure she will please you, and I know she deserves encouragement." " What is her name ?" " Mrs. Walton; and she lives in Larkin's Court." " Thank you, ma'am. I will send for her this morning. You say she is very poor ? " " You may judge of that yourself, Mrs. Lander. A woman who has four children to support by the labour of her own hands cannot be very well off." " No ; certainly not. Poor creature ! I will throw all I can in her way, if her work should please me." " I am sure that will be the ease, for she sews very neatly." Mrs. Lander having found out a poor woman who could do plain sewing—she was always more ready to employ persons in extreme poverty than those who were in more easy circumstances—immediately sent a summons for her to attend upon her ladyship. Mrs. Walton's appearance, when she came, plainly enough told the story of her indigence. " Mrs. Brandon informs me," said Mrs. Lander, " that you do plain sewing very well, and that you stand in need of work. I always like to encourage the industrious poor." The woman inclined her head, and Mrs. Lander went on. " Do you make shirts ?" " Yes, ma'am, sometimes." ... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.