The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-23
AN ADVENTURE
WITH A WINDMILL.
By FRANK Il. COLEBURN.

paid off in full there was but few hundred
dollars left
Being thus suddenly thrown upon our
own resources l. who had been reared in
luxury, was al a loss to know hat to do
fur living l had a fair academic educa-
ton; but without ability to make use Of it
it could be of small service.
searched san Francisco over for employ
mcnt without avail l found several open
ings, hut in every case either the wages
were not sufi lent or l did not consider the
work congeuial. l had yet to learn tbat
beggaTs must not be chOuSers.
Whle [ was doing nothing my money
dviBdled away with most surprising rapid
t.. At length ] was reduced 10 few
dollars l felt discouraged and half des-
re-ate. Imagine my delight, therefore on
rece.vnEau invitation from an old friend
of my fathers 10 come and spend a few
weeks with him en- his vineyard in Fresno
County, Southern California. / accepted
without The least delay or consideration
and purchased a ticket TO Fresno with my
last cent
Ieuj0yed nv visit exceedingly. Mr.. Eller
was a genial pleasant man. Fresno itself
was a dirty little town with few merits, but
the country surrounding was delightful IN
climate and m8ryeluusly productive. had
arrived at tie most favorable season II the
year-autumu-dud the Wiue-makinS was
In fell progress.
never tired Of hanging about the winery,
watching the heavy teams come IN, each
with a full ten Of grapes % the load. The
pretty, inviting fruit was empued, box al
a time, into the sticky elevator; this con-
veyed il to tie CUusLeT, from the cTnel
fangs Of which 1t came forty an ugly pulp.
This pulp was placed in press and every
particle Of juice squeezed from It. The
luce after it has fermeuIed and attained
tie proper age, becomes wine.
Tt surprised me TO see how little real
waste there is about wne-making The
grave In its pTims IS used for tile wine; the
puln. jutce,ess, is fed TO the hogs the stems
make an excellent roadway; and those
grapes that have decayed can be utilized
Tor brandy.
In q burst Of confidence l informed Mr.,
Eller OF my peuuiesS condition. lie SYM
pathiZed with me.
II might give yOU employment ia the
yineyalI' DE observed "Out Of course you
would not wish 10 ass .Ciate with those
rough day .aboTeTs, all So inferior 10 you
intellectually
"Idau't Know returned; "my ideas
upon that subject have changed materially
within the las. few weeks. No man need
be ashamed Of any honest occupation by
Which hs maze makes liyi &. ! really be-
ueve, Mr.. Eler, that l viii ask you 10 give
me- employment heTe-flT q time, at any
rake"
You viii find the work hard"
expect that l answered. / am ready
for hard work. / need manual labor, and
think l can obtain 1t here.
think you can returned Mr.. EHer,
dry.y.
I went TO wort next morning. My posi-
iion was that Of feeder had 10 receive
the teams as they arrived and empty the
boxes into the elevator. ! arose at O'clock;
hal l-f -a ..rrf -rl %. q .4.f for au
fast. The men fled into the great dining
room and took their individual seats at two
long tables. l dnej at a separate table
with MI El.eT TINS arrangement suited me
very vel
can vouch for It that I was tired that
first night. Handling fity-pouud boxes of
grapes eleven hours "a day Is likely 10 Prove
pretty fati-uln- even O. one who Is used to
working. and that / certainly was not. But
| went 10 bed early, lad o sound uELt's
r.st and awOke tie next morning much
refreshed.
Things went on in this way for some
weeks. My work grew very mUn0,OuouS,
bat stuck t. IL from necessity, not choice.
My muscles began 10 develop, aud l felt in
splendid health.
Oue day the big windmill which supplied
tie whole winery with water fell cut OF
order and refused % pump. Nj E.er eX-
amIueI 1t carefully, but was unable 10
learn wherein the difficulty lay. 81 came
water was great necessity 10 that hot
country
Harry" he said to me. you're something
Of a mechanic, aren't YOU?'
81 did paw d little attention 10 the study
al one time" / answered m0jeSty
We'll, l wish you would thy what Won
can 10 ia the way Of fixing that windmill
l promised that 1 would, and Nj. El.er
left NE,
After supper that night secured ham
mer and cuisel and started fer the mill. l
had need TO make haste II / expected 10 aC-
cOmpIsh anything, for the days were short
eniug, and already the darkness had begun
TO fall.
The windmill stood some two OF three
hundred yards from the house. directly be-
hind the wine cellar. 1t was about twenty
FIVE feet high from the base to the top Of
the wheel, but In that deceptive twilight it
looked Ike some giant finger reaching to
the sky
] stuck my tools in my coat pocket and
began 20 climb the long ladder which
stretched to the top Of the tank. From
there il would be easy to reach and man
ipuiate the wheel.
Imade the ascent In safety, and after a
little reached the top Of the rough boards
with which the tank was covered. For some
time l stood there, admiring The splendid
view, and wondering at the extent OF CUUn-
iTy that came under my gaze, until warned
By tie cveT-lncreasng gloom that was out
on business, not pleasure.
forget Just what was the matter with the
wheel; some simple disarrang sment Of the
machinery which took me but little time 10
remedy. Feeling certain that the mill
would perform It's duty as well as before, 1
t1Tnei 10 TetTace my steps Ia doing so /
stepped upon a half concealed trap-door,
intended - be used as means OF lngrrss
into the tank 10 case Of repairs being needed.
The door was old and rotten; its hinges
were broken, and It rested very insecurely
uDon its foundation. Consequently it could
not retain my weight, aud tilted suddenly.
L tell with prOdlglOus splash into the
water beneath.
There were about two feet Of water in the
tank. Igurgled and sputteIed AMI struggled
as though there were twenty. However, !
quickly reEained my feet, dripping and
shlyerlnS from my sudden immersion, but
un.nluTed. But l was prisoner.
Tie tank was about ten feet in height.
The sides were perfectly smooth and at
fOTded no f0OthOld. There was no ladder
or other means by which | could Chamber
out l vowed that if ever | built a tank
would provide for such contingency as the
present.
About three and a half feet above my
head was the supply pipe. It is extended
little way into the tank. If ! could only
manage to reach that l might possibly pull
myself up and escape. l knew very well l
could not do this, but hope, like love, IS
blind To all obstacles and jumped desper-
ately for the pipe / failed of course. l
did not come within a foot Of it. However,
after l had continued my efforts for some
time felt comfortable warmth creeping
over that portion Of my body which was
above water; therefore, In lieu Of anYthiug
better to do, kept on jumping.
By and By my teeth stopped chattering
and | stopped leaping.
Here's a pretty messr I said to myself.
Al wonder how long Pm to be penned up in
this place? Ny legs are tired enough al
ready without having to stand on them all
night and | can't very well sit down in two
feet Of water"
1t suddenly occurred TO me that I pos
sessed voice Of tolerable strength and clear
ness, and that l might make good use Of 1t