This volume collects some representative writings from "factory girls" working in Lowell, Massachusetts. As you might imagine, some of these are pretty good... some, not so much. There's a lot of pictures of how the mill system operates, many of which are quietly subversive or sarcastic, but many others are just kind of sanctimonious tales where someone learns a life lesson. But the idea of the book is quite neat: who would've thought that women working in factories would've published several issues of something like this? Despite the problems of the mills, they were quite the opportunity for most of their workers, as this book shows.

This book is an interesting collection of writings (stories, letters, essays, and poetry) by the native NE women who worked in the mills here in New England in the middle of the 19th century (just prior to the changeover to immigrant labor). The original editor/s of the literary magazine seemed to favor mostly upbeat and positive viewpoints of millwork, and avoid any sensitive issues such as hours and wages. There was some criticism around this (and accusations of being subsidized by the mill owners). Beyond this, and bearing in mind what it doesn't include, it's an enlightening window into the lives of women who left their family farms and flocked to the mills to support themselves.