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Perhaps I never gave the wage…earning element in work its due weight。 It always seemed to me that the； Apostle's idea about worldly possessions was the only sensible one；
〃Having food and raiment； let us be therewith content。〃
If I could earn enough to furnish that； and have time to study besides；of course we always gave away a little； however little we had；it seemed to me a sufficiency。 At this time I was receiving two dollars a week； besides my board。 Those who were earning much more； and were carefully 〃laying it up；〃 did not appear to be any happier than I was。
I never thought that the possession of money would make me feel rich： it often does seem to have an opposite effect。 But then； I have never had the opportunity of knowing； by experience； how it does make one feel。 It is something to have been spared the responsibility of taking charge of the Lord's silver and gold。 Let us be thankful for what we have not； as well as for what we have！
Freedom to live one's life truly is surely more desirable than any earthly acquisition or possession； and at my new work I had hours of freedom every day。 I never went back again to the bondage of machinery and a working…day thirteen hours long。
The daughter of one of our neighbors； who also went to the same church with us； told me of a vacant place in the cloth…room； where she was； which I gladly secured。 This was a low brick building next the counting… room； and a little apart from the mills； where the cloth was folded； stamped； and baled for the market。
There were only half a dozen girls of us； who measured the cloth； and kept an account of the pieces baled； and their length in yards。 It pleased me much to have something to do which required the use of pen and ink； and I think there must be a good many scraps of verse buried among the blank pages of those old account…books of that found their way there during the frequent half…hours of waiting for the cloth to be brought in from the mills。
The only machinery in the room was a hydraulic arrangement for pressing the cloth into bales； managed by two or three men； one of whom was quite a poet； and a fine singer also。 His hymns were frequently in request； on public occasions。 He lent me the first volume of Whittier's poems that I ever saw。 It was a small book； containing mostly Antislavery pieces。 〃The Yankee Girl〃 was one of them； fully to appreciate the spirit of which； it is necessary to have been a workink…girl in slave…labor times。 New England Womanhood crowned Whittier as her laureate from the day of his heroine's spirited response to the slaveholder：
〃0； could ye have seen herthat pride of our girls Arise and cast back the dark wealth of her curls； With a scorn in her eye that the gazer could feel； And a glance like the sunshine that flashes on steel！
Go back； haughty Southron！ Go back！ for thy gold Is red with the blood of the hearts thou hast sold！〃
There was in this volume another poem which is not in any of the later editions； the impression of which； as it remains to me in broken snatches； is very beautiful。 It began with the lines
〃Bind up thy tresses； thou beautiful one； Of brown in the shadow； and gold in the sun。〃
It was a refreshment and an inspiration to look into this book between my long rows of figures； and read such poems as 〃The Angel of Patience；〃 〃Follen；〃 〃Raphael；〃 and that wonderfully rendered 〃Hymn〃 from Lamartine； that used to whisper itself through me after I had read it； like the echo of a spirit's voice：
〃When the Breath Divine is flowing； Zephyr…like o'er all things going； And； as the touch of viewless fingers； Softly on my soul it lingers； Open to a breath the lightest； Conscious of a touch the slightest；
Then； O Father； Thou alone； 》From the shadow of thy throne； To the sighing of my breast And its rapture answerest。〃
I grew so familiar with this volume that I felt acquainted with the poet long before I met him。 It remained in my desk…drawer for months。 I thought it belonged to my poetic friend； the baler of cloth。 But one day he informed me that it was a borrowed book； he thouht； however； he should claim it for his own； now that he had kept it so long。 Upon which remark I delivered it up to the custody of his own conscience； and saw it no more。
One day； towards the last of my stay at Lowell （I never changed my work…room again）； this same friendly fellow…toiler handed me a poem to read； which some one had sent in to us from the count… ing…room； with the penciled comment； 〃Singularly beautiful。〃 It was Poe's 〃Raven；〃 which had just made its first appearance in some magazine。 It seemed like an apparition in literature； indeed； the sensation it created among the staid； measured lyrics of that day； with its flit of spectral wings； and its ghostly refrain of 〃Nevermore！〃 was very noticeable。 Poe came to Lowell to live awhile； but it was after I had gone away。
Our national poetry was at this time just beginning to be well known and appreciated。 Bryant had published two volumes； and every school child was familiar with his 〃Death of the Flowers〃 and 〃God's First Temples。〃 Some one lent me the 〃Voices of the Night；〃 the only collection of Longfellow's verse then issued； I think。 The 〃Footsteps of Angels〃 glided at once into my memory； and took possession of a permanent place there； with its tender melody。 〃The Last Leaf〃 and 〃Old Ironsides〃 were favorites with everybody who read poetry at all； but I do not think we Lowell girls had a volume of Dr。 Holmes's poems at that time。
〃The Lady's Book〃 and 〃Graham's Magazine〃 were then the popular periodicals； and the mill…girls took them。 I remember that the 〃nuggets〃 I used to pick out of one or the other of them when I was quite a child were labeled with the signature of Harriet E。 Beecher。 〃Father Morris；〃 and 〃Uncle Tim；〃 and others of the delightful 〃May…Flower〃 snatches first appeared in this way。 Irving's 〃Sketch…Book〃 all reading people were supposed to have read； and I recall the pleasure it was to me when one of my sisters came into possession of 〃Knickerbocker's History of New York。〃 It was the first humorous book； as well as the first history； that I ever cared about。 And I was pleased enoughfor I was a little girl when my fondness for it beganto hear our minister say that he always read Diedrich Knickerbocker for his tired Monday's recreation。
We were allowed to have books in the cloth…room。 The absence of machinery permitted that privilege。 Our superintendent； who was a man of culture and a Christian gentleman of the Puritan…school； dignifed and reserved； used often to stop at my desk in his daily round to see what book I was reading。 One day it was Mather's 〃Magnalia；〃 which I had brought from the public library； with a desire to know something of the early history of New England。 He looked a little surprised at the archaeological turn my mind had taken； but his only comment was； 〃A valuable old book that。〃 It was a satisfaction to have a superintendent like him； whose granite principles； emphasized by his stately figure and bearing； made him a tower of strength in the church and in the community。 He kept a silent； kindly； rigid watch over the corporation…life of which he was the head； and only th