The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-26

Every cannery was running at full
blast, the shipping sheds were loading
and shipping car loads by the hundred
every day, the drying grounds looked
like acres of 'vari-colored patchwork
with their trays of dark and light fruit
and the orchardists were securing the
highways and hedges for hands" to
keep up with the demand.
The packing house at Rancho Pico
sWarmed with a motley crew gathered
from the four corners of the earth, in
the effort to handle the crop without a
waste, for a few days of sudden and
intense heat had ripened everything In
double quick time. A crew of Japs
working in the prune orchard, were
hauling loads of dusky purple fruit to
the west room to be dipped, spread
dried and graded by lot of brawny
SwedeS. In the cutting room a wiry
little Dago was sweating and swearing
over a band of low-browed Digger
Indians, as he weighed out the fruit to
them and sent the filled traps to the
bleachers. At the main entrance
stood train of fruit wagons, waiting
for their respective load of peaches
for cannery and shipment, while from
the vineyard come 'goose-necks'' with
their freight of grapes to be presse
into raisins. Everything was going
SWimmingly.
Above the rich brogue of the team
sters, the suffering of the Japs, the
gutteral grunts of the Indians, and
muttered cussings in every tongue,
arose the commanding voice of young
Smithers, the manager. With a "fi-fi''
to the Cinnamon in the loading shed, a
get move on" to gang of young
boys at the packing tables, a threaten
Ing gesture toward the Diggers, he
kept everybody on rush. while his
Watchful eye covered every detail, from
the bookkeeper in the Office to the mule
in the goose neck.
Were going to get through all right,
Tamali,'' he said, to the Jap boss, who
combined the properties of intelligence
Office, general foreman, and sub-les-
see, in his own shifty person.
Men YER scarce he answered, as
he turned to steady load of trays
that were being switched onto the
track.
yes, but we've full handed fof
once" with a glance over his congress
of nations.
Then Tamaki. seeing the iron hot,
came nearer, Yer sorry he said, in
confidential tones, "but I just came
down to tell you boys think have to
have little more money. So much
hard work and hot weather.
But they're getting a dollar and a
half a day. said Smithers, "a ruinous
rate for such lot Of" he remem-
bered just in time that this was not an
occasion for crossing swords.
yes, I know" the little brown man
answered, i1nperturbably; 'but boys
say they quit, no get dollar sixty f1ve''
Smlthers looked at the little grinning
Shylock and thought how easy it would
be to throttle him on the spot, but he
also thought of the sixty Japs picking
fruit, and the necessity of getting it
harvested at once, so he kept his hands
in his pocket, saying as coollly as he
could: Very sorry too, but boys get
no more money from me-"
I fraid boys quiet" tainted Ia
maxi; fine crop, too. Too bad lose
EN-"
Then Sn1ithers, knowing the scarcity
of white men as laborers, and remem-
bering how lucky he had thought him
self to get this band of Japs when other
growers were losing tons of fruit be-
cause labor was SO scarce, choked
down his wrath, and said:
I'll tell you what I'll do. Tamaka.
I'll give one sixty-fiv the rest of this
week, If you'll see that they work hard
and earn it, hoping to get out of the
woods by then.
And Tamaki, seeing the ''boys" had
never thought of objecting to their
regular one dollar a day, pocketed the
prospect of his extra IS cents per cap
tia with a chuckle.
Two days later rush order came
in from the East for heavy shipment
of fresh fruit. Every department that
could be cut down without too great a
sacrifice was curtailed, and every avail
able hand on the place was turned to
picking peaches. In the midst of it all,
Tamaki appeared in the Office with a
downcast countenance.
Yer sorry, Mr.. Smithers," he be-
gan; yer rush, I know, but boys think
have to quit.
What's the matter now?" Smithers
called from behind his desk.
Boys think too hard work. They
think like to go to hop-fields, get more
money!
smithers, in the midst of column,
did not look up
Il think maybe stay little while for
one seventy five" he added, dubious
ly.
Not cent more, dye heart" Smith
ers roared, as soon as he had reached
his total The cool-headed man of
few weeks before was now the bag
gard, heavy-eyed victim of over work,
over-worry, and the intolerable heat.
his retreating figure, he wondered how
much farther he might dare to toy with
his endurance. s.Ssszs@g ~
rs Mr.. Smithers in?' a clear, high
voice rang above the gruffer sounds,
and before the over wrought Smithers
had time to smooth out his forehead
or temper, the voice gurgled, rushing
up to him: "Oh, Mr.. Smithers, I've
been trying all morning to get you on
the telephone hope you are feeling
very good-natured and neighborly this
morning, for l want to ask a little favor
of you.'
Smithers looked up blankly, but with
out noticing his woe-begone appear
ance, the voice ratified on: I'D like
to borrow about five hundred trays
from you If you can spare them, and
T%.e /.