Amelia

Hello my dearest sister Beatrice, I have missed you so much. I don’t like it in this orphanage and I keep thing of you. Every day I think of you. In fact, I can’t think of anything else and get distracted from what I am supposed to be doing. Then I cut or hurt myself. I wish that you were still here with me. You know they only wanted you ‘cos you’re the pretty one. I hate those mean people who took you away. I hope you are O.K – are your chores to heavy for you my dear little B? My day in the kitchen has ended at last. My hands are cracked and raw from peeling buckets for potatoes for Mistress Mason. She can be so cruel. Once she caught me drinking when I should have been working and she whipped me with a poker. But I got her back. Today I sneaked a bit of bread in my apron pocket. I shared it around with the girls in my room. We devoured the bread like that. (Click)... (Look over shoulder & listen) “Yes Miss, straight away Miss, of course Miss. There is someone from the cotton mill to see us girls for work. I have to go now little B. I am afraid. I miss you. Good night. Hello again Little B. I have been so tired I didn’t have time to talk to you. For thirteen straight hours I have been climbing amongst Spinning Jennys, tying threads that have come loose together again. My hands are cut and bleeding. Spinning Jennys are machines that turn cotton buds into thread. I have been missing you even more here. Outside, children collect the cotton. There is a little girl out there that reminds me of you but she doesn’t smile like you used to. She has a terrible cough. Are you well? Underneath me, sweepers clean up the mess. I wish you were a sweeper although I wish they would turn the machines off before telling people to go underneath. Doffer boys walk up and down the aisles collecting the thread. I am even hungrier here. The only thing we are allowed to have is a spoonful of watery porridge I can’t even sneak some food. The older girls are calling out “Maud be quiet, we will get in to trouble. I am going to say goodbye now, maybe forever. But who knows little B, tomorrow is a new day.