Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-04-13
= Serious Encounter.

20 talk with father for week. bat to
tell the truth, he had not been ID 4 very
good humor. The crops were light.
pork babe fair to be low too, and we
knew he had interest money TO make out
on the first of December, fact that
troubled him good deal, for it was Oc-
tober already. However, he looked
rather more cheerful this morning: So
my brother, Ad, mustered up courage,
and said:
If you will let Lew and me 90 after
cons this fall, we will engage to pay
you fifteen dollars month for our time.
and board ourselves. /"
Father looked at him moment, and
then sharply ct me. He evidently did
not favor IL.
Who will do the falls work21 he ex-
claimed. Who will look to the
hogsg"
Adj did not like to say, ct win Be
necessary for you to do that yourself, =
SO he simply said, IT seems to me that
ninety dollars would help good deal
on the bills that are coming due"
Father rose and went to the door, then.
as mother had breakfast about ready, he
sat down at the table. "WeII, you NAV
as well eat your breakfast, boys, he
said.
We ate in silence. Just as we we're
getting up'from the table father said eff
you feel quite sure that you can save
thirty dollars mouth, as / need the
money, think I will try to spare
you.
That was enough. Weren't We glad.
though.
Perhaps the reader is wondering what
we meant by going after cons. !" Did
you ever eat pecan nut2 Here in North
ern Texas, and in the Indian Territory,
along the upper course of Red river, boys
earn pocket money by gathering and
selling pecans. It is quite business, in
fact. We make camping-out trips Of
month or six weeks duration. The nuts
are ripe by the 1st Of October, and the
gathering season lasts till the 1st of the
following january. The pecan nut tree
il variety Of hickory, as many know.
AT this season of the year our climate
is almost perfect. There is an occasional
tnorther, Of course; but day or two
Of cold north wind may we'll be served
up as q spice for the long dessert Of
genial sunshine with which the winter
solstice favors US.
Our summers, however, cannot be 50
highly recommended; for though the
thermometer stands at ninety-six degrees
in the shade nearly oil day, one-haIf Of
the inhabitants arc commonly shivering
every other day with the cold. Chills
and fever These are the blots on our
summer climate.
Pecan trees are very numerous on the
banks Of all the wooded streams Of Texas
and the Indian Territory, but it is among
the groves along Red river that the nuts
are most abundant. There. too, the
camp Of the picker will be most often
seen.
Let me say here that gathering pecans,
as business, involves work: and the IN
dustrious picker goes from his camp il
the morning provided with strap sack =
and q long slender pole. The sack.
made Of stiff ducking, with leatheE-cov-
cred bottoms, will hold peck or more
Of nuts, and carried by D broad strap
thrown over the shoulder. The pole IS
. light, strong sapling, rs long as the
picker can conveniently carry Of handle.
This IS very necessary part Of his out
ft. Without 1t he could accomplish lit
tie, for the pecan tree is tall and slender.
with slim branches that offer little aid
Go climbers: while the nuts themselves
ere incased Ia hard, 0blong shuclks. that
WELD very slowly to the forces of nature.
but very quickly to the smart raps of the
gatherers pole.
An active picker will gather from two
to three bushels i day. When gathered
the nuts are worth. On an average. two