From Hot Corn: Life Scenes in New York Illustrated, Solon Robinson,
1854:
"One of her dresses, with a tuck,—tucks are fashionable in these days—was
soon made to fit Sally." (page 40)
"With fingers weary and work; With eyelids heavy and red; A woman sat in
unwomanly rags; Plying her needle and thread." (page 135)
CHAPTER VIII, Athalia the Sewing
Girl
"Athalia wore not unwomanly rags at the period when I shall commence her
history. She was clad in the garb of a country girl, just arrived in the
city, in the full expectation that fortune awaited her, just as soon as she
could learn the trade of a dress-maker...She was the life of the shop...
"Athalia was sixteen—sweet sixteen in face and mind. What a bright blue eye,
what soft brown hair, what wit, and oh, what a voice in song! and such a
heart, 'twas tuned for others' woes, and not her own...
"Oh, how she worked one whole year to learn her dress-maker's trade, without
one cent of compensation. Such is the law. The law of custom with milliners'
apprentices.
"Mrs. Morgan was one of Athalia's lady 'patrons.' Haughtily proud, yet not
like some of her class, positively dishonest, cruelly dishonest. She wanted
the labor of the poor sewing girl, because she posessed great taste, and
could dress her daughters better and what was still more, though so little
practised by the rich, cheaper than she could get their dresses at a 'regular
establishment.' That was just what the daughters disliked. They knew that
none of their acquaintances wore such neat-fitting dresses, but when the
question was put, 'Where did you get them made?' they could not answer, 'Oh,
we always get everything at Madama Chalombeau's fashionable establishment
in Broadway.'"
"...little straw hat and black mantilla..." (page
159)
"She had slipped on a wrapper, and slipped off the night-cap. What is there
in a night-cap, or night-gown, that a lady should be ashamed to be seen in
it?" (page 175)