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modified since the data were obtained, though the employment of former slaves is by no means a general custom, nor do the freedmen seek service under their former masters.
   Of the number of "Employed by Government" (171) by far the larger portion are heads of families and work in the Ordinance, Engineers, and Quartermaster's Departments at Fort Monroe.  It is not too high an estimate to say that including the families at least seven hundred persons derive their daily bread from this source, while the wages of these Gov't employees average much higher than any other class of the population it is unfortunately not true that as a general rule they are at the end of the year in much better condition than their neighbors who may make a scanty living by "farm work"  "Odd jobs" &c to be sure they live rather better from day to day but with some marked exceptions do not exercise the thrift of those whose accumulations are the result of harder work with less compensation.  The "Tradesmen" (23) represent the number who keep small shops, fish stands &c &c.  a few of them making a good, but the majority only a scanty living