University of Virginia Library

OF THE LIFE OF AN ORPHAN GIRL, A STREET-
SELLER.

"Father was a whitesmith," she said, "and mother
used to go out a-washing and a-cleaning, and me
and my sister (but she is dead now) did nothing;
we was sent to a day school, both of us. We lived
very comfortable; we had two rooms and our own
furniture; we didn't want for nothing when
father was alive; he was very fond on us both,
and was a kind man to everybody. He was took
bad first when I was very young — it was con-
sumption he had, and he was ill many years, about
five years, I think it was, afore he died. When
he was gone mother kept us both; she had plenty
of work; she couldn't a-bear the thought of our
going into the streets for a living, and we was
both too young to get a place anywhere, so we
stayed at home and went to school just as when
father was alive. My sister died about two year
and a half ago; she had the scarlet-fever dreadful,
she lay ill seven weeks. We was both very fond
of her, me and mother. I often wish she had
been spared, I should not be alone in the world
as I am now. We might have gone on together,
but it is dreadful to be quite alone, and I often
think now how well we could have done if she
was alive.

"Mother has been dead just a year this month;
she took cold at the washing and it went to her chest;
she was only bad a fortnight; she suffered great
pain, and, poor thing, she used to fret dreadful, as
she lay ill, about me, for she knew she was going to
leave me. She used to plan how I was to do when
she was gone. She made me promise to try to get
a place and keep from the streets if I could, for
she seemed to dread them so much. When she
was gone I was left in the world without a
friend. I am quite alone, I have no relation at
all, not a soul belonging to me. For three months
I went about looking for a place, as long as my
money lasted, for mother told me to sell our
furniture to keep me and get me clothes. I could
have got a place, but nobody would have me
without a character, and I knew nobody to give
me one. I tried very hard to get one, indeed I
did; for I thought of all mother had said to me
about going into the streets. At last, when my
money was just gone, I met a young woman in
the street, and I asked her to tell me where I
could get a lodging. She told me to come with
her, she would show me a respectable lodging-
house for women and girls. I went, and I have
been there ever since. The women in the house
advised me to take to flower-selling, as I could get
nothing else to do. One of the young women took
me to market with her, and showed me how to
bargain with the salesman for my flowers. At
first, when I went out to sell, I felt so ashamed I
could not ask anybody to buy of me; and many
times went back at night with all my stock, with-
out selling one bunch. The woman at the lodg-
ing-house is very good to me; and when I have a
bad day she will let my lodging go until I can
pay her. She always gives me my dinner, and a
good dinner it is, of a Sunday; and she will often
give me a breakfast, when she knows I have no
money to buy any. She is very kind, indeed, for
she knows I am alone. I feel very thankful to
her, I am sure, for all her goodness to me.
During the summer months I take 1s. 6d. per
day, which is 6d. profit. But I can only sell
my flowers five days in the week — Mondays
there is no flowers in the market: and of the 6d. a day I pay 3d. for lodging. I get a halfpenny-
worth of tea; a halfpenny-worth of sugar; one
pound of bread, 1½d.; butter, ½d. I never tastes
meat but on Sunday. What I shall do in the
winter I don't know. In the cold weather last
year, when I could get no flowers, I was forced
to live on my clothes, I have none left now but
what I have on. What I shall do I don't know
— I can't bear to think on it."