You could hardly get up to your bed of a-night, sometimes, could you?—To speak the truth, my sister has carried me up many a time; she is bigger than I am. I have gone on my hands and knees many a time.
Have you been to the Leeds infirmary, to have, if possible, your limbs restored?—Yes; I was nearly twelve months an outpatient, and I rubbed my joints, but it did no good; and, last summer, I went to the Relief, and that did me no good, and I was obliged to have a machine; and this last winter, I have been in the infirmary six weeks.
They have put irons on your legs?—Yes; they cost £3.
Have any of the surgeons at the infirmary told you by what your deformity was occasioned?—Yes, one of them said it was by standing. The marrow is dried out of the bone, so that there is no natural strength in it.
You were quite straight till you had to labour so long at those mills?—Yes; I was as straight as any one.
You kept at your work as long as you possibly could, with a wish to assist in keeping your parent?—Yes; I had a step-father, and he was not willing to keep me, and I went as long as I could; at last I cried and used to fall back in bed when they called me, so that they could not find it in their hearts to send me.
State whether, when your mill has been shown, and when people have come to look at it, there has not been a great deal of preparation before it has been seen by a stranger?—Yes, there has.
Has there been a great deal done to make it appear clean and nice, and the children tidy?—Yes, a great deal.
Have any other mills been prepared for people coming to them, to your knowledge?—We live in Leeds, at the Bank, nearly opposite Holforth's silk mill; there was a Parliament gentleman going there on the Saturday, and the children kept on till 12 o'clock on the Friday night, and then they had an hour given them on the morning of Saturday to go and dress themselves.
When was this?—I can't tell rightly; two or three weeks since, as nearly as I can recollect.