Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-10-02
STORY for an
Hole 'N1our
POMONA UP TO DAFT.

The fruit season was at It's height.
Every cannery was running at full
blast, the shipping gheds were load
ing and shipping carloads by the
hundred every day, the dryinggrounds
looked like acres of Varl-cOlorcd
patchwork with their trays of dark
and light fruit, and the Orchnrdists
were securing the highways and
hedges for "hands" to keep up with
the demand. The packing house at
Rancho Pico Rwarmed with n motley
crew gathered from the four corners
Of the earth, In the effort to handle
the crop without n waste, for few
days Of sudden and intense heat had
ripenod everything In dOublC-quiClt
time. A crew of Japs, working In the
prune orchard, were hauling loads of
dusky purple fruit to the wCstroOm
TO be dipped spread dried and grad
cd by lot OF brawny Swedos. In the
cutting-room, why little Dago was
sweating and swearing over band of
low-brOwod Digger Indians, as he
weighed out the fruit to them. and
sent the filled trays to the blcaChcrs.
At the main entrance stood train of
fruit wagons waiting for their re
spoctlve loads Of peaches for canery
and shipment, while from the vino.
yard came goose .neCks" with their
freight Of grapes to be pressed into
ralsins, Everything was going swim
mlngly.
Above the rich broguo of the
transfers, the sputtorings of the laps,
the guttoral grunts of the Indians,
and muttered cussings in every cur
rent tongue. arose the commanding
voice Of young Smithors, the manager.
with "h.h" to the Cinnamon in the
loading-shed get n move on" to Il
gang Of young boys at the packing
tables, n threatening gesture toward
the Diggots. he kept everybody on q
rush while his watchru eye covered
every detail, from the book keeper in
the office to the mule In the "goOsC
neck"
"Wo'ro going to got through all
right, Tamall,' he said to the Jap
boss, who combined the properties of
intelligence Office, general foreman,
and sub-lossoc, in his own shifty per
son
Men YER scarce, though" he
answered Ms he turned to steady n
load of trays that were being
switched onto the track
Yes, but wore fullhandcd for
once" with n glance over his congress
of nations
Then TamaN, seeing the iron hot,
camo nearer Yer sorry" he said, in
confidential tones, "hut | Just camo
down to tell you boys think to have
little more money. SO much hard
work, and hot weather"
But they're getting n dollar and
n half n day" said Smithcrs, n ruin.
Gus rate for such lot Of" he ro-
WONDERED Just in time that this was
not an occasion for crossing swords
Yes know tho little brown man
answered, importurhably; "hut boys
say they quit, no get $lG6"
Smithcrs looked Mt the little grin,
ming Shylocll, and thought how easy
It would be to throttle him on tho
spot, but he also thought of The 80
laps picking fruit and the necessity
Of getting II harvested ut once. SO ho
kept his hands in his pockets, soyiag
as coolly as he could: "Vory sorry.
too, but boys get no more money from
me-"
Il lraid hoys quit tainted Tnma
hi; cine crop, too Too had lose 'em.
Then Smithcrs. knowing the scare.
ity of white men az lahorcrs and so.
Numbering how lucky he had Thought
himself to get this band of laps whom
other growers were losing tons Ot
fruit because labor was SO scarce
cholcd down his wrath, and said :-
I'm ten YOU what III do. Tamald
TIL give $l.65 the rest of this week.
If youll see that they work hard and
earn IT, hoping to get out of the
woods by then
And Tamah seeing the boys" had
never thought Of ohioctnc to their
regular 81 a day pockoted the pros
poet of his extra Go cents per capita
with a ChuCkle
Two days later rush order came
in from the east for heavy shipmen;
Of fresh fruit. Every department that
could be cut down without too great
sacrifice was curtailed. and every
available hand on the place was
turned to picking peaches In the
midst of 1t all TamaH appeared IL