17 April 1766
My name is Cindy Eder. I am a mother of three. My sons John and Matthew and my daughter Liza. It is spring now. I have just started my new job at the textile factory. This is good news because now I can make money. It won’t be but 3 pounds a day, but that’s better than nothing at all. My husband works in the Cannery making a bit more than I, 5 pounds a day. My husband and I can’t afford to send our children to school. They are forced to work, alongside my husband, at the Cannery. Life isn’t the best, but things have been looking up since I got this new job. So far the job has been treating me well. I’ve met a lot of new women and learned so much about them. Things could be better though. The long hours and tedious sewing is hard on my hands and eyes. Work starts as early as 5:00 o’clock in the morning all the way into the depths of the night. I usually come home with calluses on the tips of my fingers and red eyes. I work this hard to make sure my family can see a decent dinner every night.
~ Cindy Eder
26 July 1766
It is summer now. The heat has been stressful for all of us. Each day at work is treacherous. The sun seems to shine longer than it used to. Today I pricked my finger 8 times in the same spot. This made it much harder to sew the hems of the long dresses. I bled into many of men’s shirts. This meant starting over from the very beginning. Oh how tired I am. Writing this letter seems to drain me of the small bit of energy that I have left. I came home to very sick children. My husband James has been famine stricken. This is the second time since last year. We believe it Came from last night’s dinner. We cannot afford to take him to receive medical care. We have only the grace of God and hope that he will get better. How sad I will be if my husband does not make it. All I keep thinking is why my family? Why us?
~Cindy Eder
13 October 1766
The cold is upon all of us. James has gotten better. Thank goodness. I couldn’tear to see him ill. Unfortunately he was fired from his previous ob at the cannery. He had to take a new job in mining. This is even more terrifying than the cannery. The death rate of mining men is much higher than that of the regular factory job. Last month my friend Jenny took a loss. Her boy Samuel was killed. A pile of heavy rocks fell upon his head. Broke his neck. She was so devastated. I just hope nothing so fatal happens to my beloved husband. The boys have been doing well. Work has been treating them well. As for Liza, well, she’s just getting into the swing of things. Last week was Liza’s birthday. We couldn’t afford to do anything extravagant, but we did manage to buy a full loaf of bread. We all pieced our money together to make this happen. At work I sewed a new dress for her. I would be in so much trouble if word got out that a yard of cloth is missing. I might even get fired. For my family I am willing to take these risks.
~Cindy Eder
By: Nytca Artiaga