I am the mother of a large family, but I am glad to say they are fast
growing up, as their ages range from twenty-eight down to five years,
so that I feel I can speak from experience, if anyone can. I must say
that although it is a time that women suffer terribly, yet it is a time
when they get very little pity, as it is looked upon as quite a natural
state of things. I have myself got up in the morning, unable to partake
of any breakfast, and tried to get about my work, and had to sit down
in every chair I have got to with my brush in my hand. Then after
confinement, as soon as I could sit up in bed, having such a large
family, I have had to sit with my needle in my hand. But all this does
no good, but only tends to keep a woman’s health down. When I had my
first miscarriage--it happened in October--and I crawled about all the
winter, and well on into the next summer, like a person in consumption;
in fact, it was generally thought that I was. And, of course, all those
months we were obliged to have a woman in, as I could do nothing. So I
think if anything could be done to lessen the sufferings of the coming
generations, I for one should be in great favour of it, as of course,
if it is too late for me to benefit by it, I have daughters growing up,
and sons’ wives to think of. Suffering as I have done, it is really a
time when extra funds are needed, so that one could pay a little to
have anything done, instead of having to do it themselves.
_Wages 17s. 8d.; nine children, six miscarriages._