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Story Advice

Read a letter from your friend Susan

My dear friend,.

You seek my advice about how to spend your hard-earned money. I know that your father is always asking you to send money home. You are his child, and it's hard not to feel as though you must give him your money as you did when you lived at home and made palmleaf hats. But if you do that, you will have nothing left of the wages you earn in the noisy prison of a weave room. Should you work so hard so that your brother can go to college and become a doctor or minister? I say you should save for your own education! Should you help pay the mortgage on the farm that will never let the family get out of debt? Better that your family should all leave that miserable farm and come to Lowell..

Susan

Copyright ©2003 Tsongas Industrial History Center, 400 Foot of John St., Lowell, MA 01852. E-Contact: Ellen_Anstey@uml.edu.

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