The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07
BERRY PICKING IN JERSEY.
A UEEK or moran LIFE dMOyG VERY
UNPLEASANT PERSONS.
The Experience Of ~ Man who Went into the
Country to Get Work-The Wicked Ways
orTrnmps-A Might Chnse nfter Mnranders.

UNPLEASANT PEHSONS.
The Experience or ~ Man who Went into the
Country to Get Work-The Wicked Ways
of Tramps-A Night Chase after Marauders. |
To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sr: After |
n recovery from n tedious illness. the expenses
contingent on which had completely exhausted |
very limited cxchcduer. / found myself n
month ago in the Quaker City In condition
bordering unpleusantly on restitution. My
efforts to obtain employment were all in vain
and matters had reached crisis. when gen.
tleman to whom had applied for work sug-
gested that should cross over to New Jersey.
where. it being then the commencement OF
the fruit season. he felt certain | might
earn u livelihood on some OF the truck farms
I'm the ncighborhood Of Camden. Though |
hardly r6lished this method OF obtaining sub
sistence. my circumstances left me no option
but to act ON his suggestion or to beg Tor my
brend. So the next morning early crossed
over to Camden. and started up the Burlington
Pike In search Of work. j overlook or was
passed by several men, whom from their looks.
Judged TO be on the same crrand as myself.
and with ono OF thcm n young New Yorker.
who begged Fight for his pipe. entered into
conversation. We joined company. and went
on our Journey together. short distance from
/ Camden We struck several truck farms. where
| pea picking was going on. We asked many
/ times for n Job. but were unsuccessful until we
/ found ourselves near Morrstown, where wa
| were fortunate enough TO obtain employment ut
/ picking strawberries. Tho boss questioned us
MS TO whether We had ever picked any before.
| and on being answered In the negative told us
| h. thought that we could not make much at the
business. though old hands could earn from
81 % To 81. so n day. However" said he. you
can try" and bidding us follow him he took us
D IA In n.1I v.bprn tho huxaa mud
crates were kept. and where tho product OF each
mans labor was received. He gave us each n
wooden tray, holding eight empty boxes. and
leading the way 20 one oi the rows Of plants
showed us how to pick the berries. and the de-
gree OF rireness at which they were ready FOR
market. The rate Of pay WINS one cent and n
half per box. or twelve cents per tray OF eight
boxes. It seemed easy work to us at fret but
by the time had plucscd my quantum ~ bcr-
rics nv back began TO feel the effects OF tho
continual stoupng.
There were from thirty TO forty men and
women nj work in the field. most of them appa-
rcntly hard cases nor did my future acuuHlnt-
nnre with them. during my short soiourn on the
farm. induce me to alter my first opinion. All
OF them pursued their work in knerung po-
sition; 50. tying my hhnlksrchlet round one
knee to protect my trousers. followed their eN-
ample 10 II certain extent; hut although found
it much easier than my former position, was
tirelv. and thereby utterly ruin pair Of very
prescniabic trousers. On taking my frst iull
yellow cardboard. on each OF which WIS print
ed one quart Each q these represented one
cent and Il half. and. "a the boss told us. would
be- accepted IN any oi the stores IN the neigh
horhood IN payment for such articles ns W. re-
CURED. We continued at our work until about
seven in tho evening. when. on my comrade
and | comparing receipts. we found that We
had between US forty-elght tickets. represent
ing seNenty.wo cents. the result VI our first AZ
We started for the store about threc-quarters
Of a mile distant. and there spent our earn ngs
for hrrNl. ham. and rItfea. WITH Witfl W. re-
turned 10 the farm. In lane We found the pa-
Jor.ty Of our coinDorers. cook NJ their suppers
over "a great fire Of dried houghs. The culinary
utensils most in vogue were old tomnto tins. in
which the water for tea was boiled. ewere nj
Il loss for utensils in which 10 cook our own
|, meal. but succeeded in borrowing nm old tin
which did duty ~ frying pan. On me follow.
can. two tim cups, and two tin piates. The meal
and IT, surrounding, wer" oi the coArsest. bu'
must confess that. rough rs II was. the comes
tbcs tasted sweeter to me than any had eaten
; ! in Delmonicos.
, as e. tho sleeping a,comino iatlons. and We're
! told that W. would have T. sleep I'm the larr
1 with the rest 81 the mon. The women. II whom
|, there were ten or twelve. occupied a stable.
; There must have been ihiuy 81 the low,
est class " tho great unwashei in tho barn. and
= Tor two hours hiier our entrance the rehilns, %
; / each ones personal reminlsccns"s. lntrrlardel
J of course with the vilcst and most hlasphemou'
, language. converted the place into perfect
= / pandrmonlum. | had always had an unac
u cnun;lble degree ~ sympathy Tor trnmps ~
= class. believing that the conventional descrip
: ton Of them was oVrrIrlwn; but the conNcrta
ton heard completely dspellcd the feeling
a aud for the future | am willing TO beliov,
q, tramp- - be- with faw exceptions, guilty Oi AM
"a ] conceivable Nlllaing. To give some Idea ot IN,
II nuturn of tho conversation on that and ev
7 cry evening passed in the company o
i the pickcrS. | muy say that the chief topics
: We're the de-irabiGty of certain cities for bum
. ming purpose tus qualities OF various lalls
q and detailed accounts OF the various viHnie
> 10 which most Of the company seemed TO hav
y eXrellcd. the relation of some OF which mad
: me rhuIder with horror.
y AZ / O'clock the boss came to the barn to rous
:. the hands, and, having cooked ana cntcn on
!, breakfast. my mate and set on to the ur!d an
u commenced work. Al the close OF the nay "
., found W. had made $3.50 bstween us. W
- 4 n-nln went t. the store and bought stock %
p PROV sibus and at the usual time returned 4
d the barn, after having spent an hour or SO Il
u might ut least be out u hearing of such con
70 versgtion a. We had been compelled TO listen 1
II THIS description Of tho nrsttwenty- four hour
,e on the farm may do Tor the whole period o. GU
4. stay. with the exception OF the Last evening
IL when the nature Of events proved more eXcit
N ing. On that evening was INST setting on 10
nj the store alone my mate bong SICK. anI som
~ Of the men standing near advised mo not to 20
y ~ there WAS gang OF druuksn men On III
y. road robbing all who passed that way. coui
u not credit this. II seemed to me impOss ibl
% that in open day such things could occur on
~ public road. ami within u short distance 81
~ village. | was determined 10 so down to IN
~ store; indeed, was compelled 10 de- SO or to <
II supperless; for we were entirely ont {
provisions. SO. after being hutiOnei to tnr
" bnck IL | saw the robbers. started. having fir
re- armed myself with Il stout club, In Ian
N that led To- the store ldecldody the lonelies pal
- OF the road. saw six men sitting on the rlgl
IL bank. | walked carel"ssly on. though | felt
~ queer sensation. not exactly fear, but the sam
ol feeling | imagine that u soldier experience
~ when going into action. kept well 70 the OF
u. pos t. side Of the road. just before reache
~ the spot where they were, three of them arose
al one having in his grasp an empty cider bottle
H. and together came toward me. Now I'm in f.
". it" thought | and indeed. 10 all appearances.
vi was: for. on looking round Just before the
u rrnched me- found thattw more men had jul
T. gOt oyer the fence into the lane and completed
III cut on all retreat.
no Hello. Young fcller" said one OF the part
III In front " have YOU got the price Of drink
give mef" replied in the negative. max IN
some remark about the hardtimcs. ind endea'
ored to pass by. The one who had the bolt
,. planted himself before me. and rendered i in
sion. lie said in II threatening manne
4" You'd best hand oyer a quarter. or. mebl
wen have to take ii from YOU" The others
my assaiants closed round and saw that tn,
., had made up their mind 10 have the none
ne ! made Il bound NJ the weakest part OF the Gre
~ nn..lna inn mo md itnrnllY hmitel ono mnn oYe