The record-union., 1899-08-28
The Pretty
Packing Girl.

y,
Eds. Record Union: We have been
very busy here lately, running at full
blast and shipping carloads Of fruit.
The Salway peaches are on now; hext
comes the grapes, and that will about
wind up the fruit. for [ do not think
the fruit company will do anything
with the figs and almonds.
Then, sad to relate. all our sweet
packing girls, like the swallows, will
homeward fly. / reckon that will be
bad, for they do help wonderfully to
break the monotony. About that time
the Farmer" will be wandering back
again. All the young hayseeds (and
a great many of the Stald Old grang-
ers) are worshiping at her shrine. Our
friend. the poet of Skunk Hollow, has
the fever bad. and he has written
little effusion on 1.-THE Packing Girl,
which | inclose.
l must relate a funny little incident
that happened to a couple of badly
smitten young men the other evening.
They decided to take advantage OF the
beautiful moonlight evening and call
on a couple of the fair handlers OF de-
ciduous fruits. Dressed in their best,
they hitched an old Skinfull of bones
to Petaluma cart and started on their
mission. Their way lay through Skunk
Hollow and they became SO interested
with the beautiful scenery that they
failed to notice that there We're others
besides themselves enjoying the lovely
evening until they collided with one
of those pesl1y little varments that
gave the place it's name, and thereby
hangs a tale.
OF course, the polecat resented the
familiarity in the manner peculiar to
it's species. AS consequence,
the cart will need a new coat
of paint, and it is needless to
state that the boys postponed their call
until some future date That night
there were two little funerals by moon
light, and two summer suits We're de-
Gently laid away under the sod. The
chief mourners were too scantily clad
young men who have hopes for here
after for those duds. for they Smelled
to the heavens
What promised at the start to be a
quiet, informal little call, turned out
to be one of the loudest affairs that
ever happened in this locality. The
boys tried their utmost to keep the
matter quiet, but the joke was too pun
gent and soon leaked out. Here is
Jim's tribute to the deciduous angel:
1 have heard some bachelors remark
All girls look alike to me-
But I'm glad to say that is not the way
cannot with that agree.
And tho misguided ones may try
My statements to refute,
My voice I'll raise in earnest praise
OF the girl who packs the fruit.
Mid baskets of lucious peaches
She holds her gentle sway;
She sits serene, like fair young queen,
All through the Summer day.
But of all the tempting peaches,
Supreme beyond dispute,
Not one so sweet as the maid SO neat
Who so swiftly packs the fruit.
The man who hauls the peaches,
And the foreman so dignified,
They succumb with ease to the heart dis
When they linger by her side;
And all the gentle grangers,
Their heads are in a whirl,
For one and all, they straightway fall
In love with the packing girl.
Her voice is sweet and gentle,
And Winsome is her face,
From her sunburnt nose to her dainty
toes
Her form is full of grace.
In all the jeWel-box of maids
She is the choicest pearl,
And Cupid seems, to the ranchers'
dreams,
In league with the packing girl
She does not care for social whims,
Nor aristocratic airs;
There is no blue blood in this sweet rose
bud,
So free from Fashions cares;
She does not strive with beauty's arts
To wed a Duke or Earl
For her heart is true, as the skies are
blue
The loyal packing girl
This maiden never pulls an oar
In the female suffrage boat,
And she never tries to be learned and
wise,
And she does not yearn to vote
She does not spend her youthful days
In finding a way to hurl
The tyrant man, by some fell plan,
From the path of the packing girl
And this is the reason, beyond doubt.
l can safely make the boast:
Our peaches so nice bring the highest
price
OF any along the coast;
But must confess / cannot keep
My heart any longer mute,
For L cannot conceal I'd like to steal
The maiden who packs the fruit
Some may scoff at what I say.
And assert, with trumpet voice,
That she can't compare with the maidens
fair
Who happen to be their choice;
But, in defense of her. we now
Our standard bright unfurl,
Our stand Wen take for her sweet sake
Hurrah! for the packing girl!