Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-10-06

There were others who complained
of the demoralizing effect of these
women who ran their little ranch for
the lark, and many ranchers found
trouble in getting help when it was
known Miss Smythe was paying 81 a
day, but Let it co." Smithers always
said to them. "This year will freeze
them out, for at the end of the season
they'll nave to sell their ranch in
order to pay their Japs."
At the close Of the harvesting
season, Miss Smythe and her friend
wound up their Countrywide experience
with a house-party of friends from the
city. This, of course, necessitated
the borrowing of tents, hammocks,
and chairs from Smithers, until he
was forced to accept their invitation
to be one of their number, having
nothing left in his own domain either
to sit or lie upon.
"And do you know" Miss Smythe
confided to him, as they talked of her
departure, "this has been such an
awfully jolly outing, I'd really like to
come up here to live
F'But haven't you found it a rather
expensive experiment." Smithers
gasped.
Expensive! Miss Smythe echoed
in surprise.
eyes, expensive" Smithers repeat
ed. eff I may ask the question,
haven't you found the price of labor
overbalances the profit on the crop?''
Miss Smythe threw back her head
and laughed. Her mouth was very
pretty when she laughed, he noticed.
poor Damntamaki!" she exclaimed,
''you can't think what little idiot he
is, for all he thinks he is so shrewd.
And saying that she laughed again.
Smithers laughed, too-at his own
expense, and waited for her to go on.
'His men did splendid work for
u.s." she explained, because he was
getting so much money, and I kept
telling him he could not do so we'll if
we turned him off And what do
you suppose he charged us for picking
our CROP"
Smithers discreetly refrained from
guessing.
mine hundred and four dollars, y
she told him, and again she went off
in a gale of laughter.
SIS that the joker" Smithers asked,
wishing he could regard his own dis
bursements with the same levity.
ooh, no. she gurgled. ''The joke
is that / put in a little bill of nearly
$500 for lost time, breakage of boxes,
wrapping of trays, and damage to
machinery from the leaves and dirt
sent in in the prune boxes"
did he pay it?" Smithers inquired.
OF course he did. I had drawn up
contract providing for protection
against unnecessary loss, which I
made him sign. Then there was a
fire in the Jap camp, which damaged
the trees and implements to some
extent"
What did he do about that?" the
man asked, curiously.
paid it, of course" she answered,
gayly.
''Then is it possible you did not
come out behind after ALP" Smithers
asked, in amazement.
':Why, we did better than any of
you,' she answered, "for while those
Japs stayed, they worked like beav-
ers, and got through in almost half
the time, which made our harvesting
cost less than yours or anybody's.
The actual cost of our labor was
about IS cents a day"
well, I'm glad this is the last of
those gol-blamed wimmen folks, !"
sighed one of the injured old codgers,
as he saw the train pull out a few
days later.
But it's not" said Smithers, joy
fully
What! They're not comm back
next year, be they?" he snapped.
zone of them is" Smithers an
swered, proudly, "Sybil is coming
back to run my ranch for me-
Marguerite Stabler in San Francisco
Argonaut.