The Slavery of Children

The scene opens in the grape-growing district, where a group of healthy children are busy loading up the baskets. A well-dressed man appears and engages in conversation with the boys, whom he fires with enthusiasm at the thoughts of gold to be obtained according to his promises and shows them bills of large denomination. The boys call their companions, who are told about the fortunes to be gained by going away as apprentices to the gentleman. They lead him to their parents, who are soon willing to sign away the liberty of their children. The man makes the tour of the village gathering in recruits, his last conquest being a girl, who is the only support of an aged man, but on the great inducements offered and promises made he reluctantly signs the apprenticeship bond. Having obtained all available children, he takes them to the depot, where an affecting leave-taking of parents and children is witnessed. The scene now changes to the exterior of a large iron works and the children are led like prisoners through the gates; by and bye they are seen pushing heavy trucks of coal along rails to the blast furnaces, and as the children falter and stagger under the heavy load, they are whipped unmercifully by the men for whom they work. The scene is changed to the smelting furnaces, where the molten metal spurts and hisses from the mouth, and the children are observed performing herculean tasks with the molten steel ingots and fall exhausted. Their taskmasters whip them to their feet; the two oldest, a boy and girl, about fifteen years of age, are seen to be most unmercifully punished and left to recover. The boy cheers his companion with ideas of escape. Darkness now settles down and in the midnight watches round the furnace the two are seen to steal stealthily away, down the winding iron stairs, through the foundry grounds, out, far out, into the country, down precipitous rocks to the seashore. Some time elapses and the scene changes to the woods near their home and the two fugitives are seen footsore and weary, the boy supporting the girl and encouraging her on. At last they reach the home of the girl, who is received into the arms of her father, who goes in quest of refreshment, which, alas, comes too late, for as he reaches her, his daughter falls dead at his feet The boy consoles him and they vow vengeance on the slaveholders.