146 WINTER SKETCHES. 



most every other house is a '' saloon." In 

 White Street, about 300 yards long, there are 

 thirty-two of them. These are mostly patron- 

 ized by the foreigners. 



In former times the hat-makers were all 

 Americans, and as machinery had not been in- 

 troduced to any extent, they found an abun- 

 dance of work. Even now, when less than half 

 are Americans, the country boys and girls 

 earn substantial wages, which, to the disgust 

 of the saloon-owners, they keep for them- 

 selves. Near the factories are rows of sheds. 

 Early in the morning caravans of wagons or 

 sleighs may be seen coming into town, each 

 vehicle carrying, besides its passengers, a 

 bundle of hay. They drive to the sheds, 

 where the animals are left to feed till evening, 

 the boys and girls taking their dinner-pails 

 along to their places of work. The days are 

 long, for " piece-work " is indifferent to eight- 

 hour rules. The busy employes reserve only 

 light enough to find their way home, and 

 at twilight they take up their line of march. 



It seems to me that honest, industrious per- 

 sons like these should have some very fixed 

 and correct ideas upon " the protection of 

 American labor." It may be supposed that 



