352 LAND AND LABOR. 



on the condition of labor in the Black Country, and 

 when that paper makes the following statement I can 

 say that it actually accords with some of the horrible 

 facts which have come within my observation during 

 my stay in this dismal region. 



" e Women within a few days of their confinement 

 have been known to work in the agony of exhaustion, 

 in order to earn a few pence at the ' hearth ' - not 

 the 'hearth' of home, but the hearth of the ' forge ; ' 

 they have been known to return to work in a day or 

 two after childbirth, emaciated in constitution, weak 

 and weary for the want of simple nourishment. Their 

 children, ragged and ill fed, have had to lead misera- 

 ble and wretched lives, with no hope before them but 

 a life of wickedness and vice/ 



" It matters little to these poor fellows what the 

 cost of clothing is, for they can not get it. Taking 

 the net earnings of the man, his wife, and his little 

 daughter, which I have shown in the above tables was 

 less than 19s., and here is what he can buy for it. 

 The man and his wife sat down with me and gave the 

 facts with great detail and care to 'get it exactly 

 right:' 



s. d. s. d. 



Rent 2 4 Candles 3 



Coal 2 Flour 6 



I In ;ul 4 Tobacco 6 



Bacon 3 Club 4 



Cheese 1 6 Clothing and boots and 



Butter 1 shoes, etc 1 



Potatoes 6 



Tea 1 6 Total 19s. 



Sugar 7 



