MY JOURNEL #1

Nov.11,
Dear journel,
My name is Abbie i am 9 years old and I have been working in the mines for about 4 years. It has been hard lugging coal in and out of the mines not ever seeing the sun. sometimes i would work for over 18 hours. but latley there have been roomers about these things called factory acts. i think that they are supposed to help us childern out by shortening our work hours amongst other things. i know they think its helping but my family really needs the money. i have a younger brother and sister, i am the oldest, and my parents work in the mines aswell. everyday i have fear that i might die. either from the mine collapsing or from any of the disease. any friends that i used to have arent here anymore. my best friend just died last week from this thing called cholera. its being spread through the water. i told her not to drink it but once she did she kept saying that she was still thirsty and she kept drinking and drinking. its been really hard in the mines without her. though my whole family works there it still seems like there is no compassion in this life anymore. thoes factory acts i was talking about well its going to be harder to make the pay now since my two siblings cant work as long anymore. also my mom sister and i are going to have to find new jobs because we arent allowed to work in the mines because its going to damage our baby making systems, well thats what mom said at least. im glad that i cant work in the mines anymore because its allways dark and wet. i got this terrible cough from being down there and getting all this dust in my lungs but i guess its better than some of the others jobs. i seen them on my way home when they come out of the factories. it seems like everyday the get more and more shapley, i think its rickets. i mean the look like every letter i know of. my parents say im starting to look like them but i dont think so... well i havent seen my self in a few days... havent touched water in 3 and im still alive... my brother has been getting sicker and sicker though but my parents dont care they were thinking about selling him anyways... the say that they can just make another. when we get home at night my dad goes out and goes to the store. he is always gone for a long while but never seems to come back with any food. but he always comes back laughing and having a grand old time, which i dont understand whats so funny. my sister has been getting thinner and thinner each day. im worried about them. there all ive got. my parents dont care. they say we'd be useless if we didnt work and that they'd sell us if we didnt bring in money thats what they are doing with my brother. he drank the water... everyday i pray that God will save me from this horror... somedays i think being dead would be better than living this life of fear. its almost 4 now... i have to walk to the mines for my last day there... until tomarrow if im alive,

-Abbie J. Courter