The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-30
THROUGHJOY AND SORROW


wac door of the packing house as a
glrls straight figure paused a moment
on the threshold before entering.
Inc scene within seemed attractive.
1t was so busy, and in effect, so quiet
IN spite of the continual noise of ham,
mers, mailing up of full boxes, and the
various sounds incidental to moving
fruit about the work progressed.
Ihe new conner was pleased, and her
desire to take a hand was quickened.
Her good-tempered poise was So ap-
parent that her credentials were at
once accepted. She was used to NOV
ing through life without much dispute
over the right of way, and was blessed
with the tact that comes from unaffect-
ed confidence.
She readily discovered the manager,
moving about among the bins and box
es, saying a quiet word here and there,
or pointing out some needed rearrange-
ment of the SOlid-loOking but transient
stacks of fruit of empties. She went
to him without hesitation and asked for
work.
Can you pack?"
Il reckon I can, but I never did,
You won't earn very much at first. :"
All right let me try; should like to
learn"
AS she spoke, she looked keenIy at
the rows of girls sitting beside the bins
into which the various SpOutS from the
grader were delivering the several
sizes. At once she picked out the bet
ter workers and got a notion of the
mechanical verve and swing that told
of exact and rapid work.
There was a rhythm in the motions
of a good packer. The paper came up
from the pile of sheets with the regu-
larity of a balance wheel and fell upon
the orange in the other hand with an
air of knowing where it belonged. The
wrapping seemed to do itself, and the
next yellow subject was taking its
treatment almost before the former
had settled itself into its precise posi-
ton in the box.
Il like that, said the girl; ''can be-
gin now?"
Yes said the manager, smiling at
her spirit; take that third bin. You
can hang your hat and pail over yon-
der. I'll be round to show you pretty
soon"
In no time she was in her seat beside
the bin, with an empty box in position
before her, had fitted a rubber cot on
her left thumb, and was experimenting,
aided by frequent glanceS at her neigh
bOrS, on the proper movements to make
the sheets rise singly and spread wide
to cover the fruit; and she had placed
some rows of oranges in her box before
the manager came to show her how.
She laughed as he made her take
them out again, and explained how each
size is packed after a regular pattern,
by which a certain number fills the
box, without need of counting. A few
more hints of method, supplemented
by an occasional visit and comment, put
her in the position, in a half days time
is done, and seeking only to gain in
speed of performance.
The young man who operated the
grader was in a position of vantage, II
he cared to observe the girls who were
packing at the bins that his radiating
spouts supplied. He stood high beside
the wide shallow hoppers that received
the dumped boxes of ungraded fruit,
and from which the oranges distributed
themselves through the discriminating
functions of the machine into various
rolling professions in which each MEM
Der was Just as big as his neighbOr.
Some manipulation was needed to
keep the fruit moving evenly to the dis
tribution, but the operators eyes We're
not so confined as to prevent frequent
excursions among the workers below
and about him.
[ believe he had mentally photograph
ed all the hands that, each in its own
way exhibiting that wonderful indiV1d-
1ality that women'S hands possess,
were moving gracefully or heavily
through their countless repetitions-And
other things he took not of and specu-
lated on, after the manner of men:
He was from Kansas manly look
ing. rather handsome fellow, whose
black eyes showed self-reliance, born
of thoughtful and energetic dealing
with the problems of western farmer
And that judgment, accustomed to eX-
ercise on everything within range, did
not hesitate before a fresh and inviting
problem, when the new packer sat
down
''She is from Missouri" He guessed
rightly as a first clearing of the ground:
She is used to horses" he added, and
I think they like her. Let's see how
she takes hold of her work"
1t were useless to deny that the
straight and graceful back of the girl
from Missouri grew cramped ana Ireu
as the noon hour approached. and her
nervous endeavor at speed, while it did
not relax, seemed to be costing her
something.
familiar with the breaking-in process
in many kinds of work, and such Ia
tigue gave her not the least discourage
ment.
1t was rather illogical in the grader
man, who observed all TINS, ana VINO
saw that her quality was quite superior
to such an incident, to allow hlmset
an agreea BILE sentiment of compassion:
which centered in. the red signal OF
WEAKNESS on her cheek. He was only
working himself into an imaginary
connradeship. Things were moving
briskly with the grader man
In two or three days the girl had got
hardened to her work and was already
falling into the swing of an expert Her
special observer had noted the excep-
tional quickness of her requirement,
and the decided approval of practical
Judgment reinforced his sentimental
esteem. It is often so with young men
of his sagacious turn and successful
habit of life.
Such assuring observations fastened
the period of conscious acknowledge
.nent that the brakes were off Our ele-
waited friend flushed a little as he con-
fessed to himself that he was in the
chutes" and he liked it.
It was not his habit. He never han
died horses that way, and he could not
now quite free himself from reproach
for having dropped the lines. But he
laughed, nevertheless. and enjoyed the
Joke on himself, along with some other
enjoyment.
His craft. however. did not wholly
forsake him. He did not forthwith be-
come the. object of general suspicion
The girl herself may have caught a look
once or twice. that seemed to bring him
rather forcibly under her serious at