Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-10-02
STORY for an
Hole Dour
POMONA UP TO DATG.

The fruit season was at its height
Every cannery was running at full
ing and shipping carloads 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-hou at
Rancho Pico swarmed with a motley
crew gathered from the four corners
of the earth, in the effort to handle
the crop without waste, for a few
days of sudden and intense heat had
ripened everything in doublequick
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 grad
ed by lot Of brawny Swedes. In the
cutting-room, 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 trays to the bleachers.
At the main entrance stood a train OF
fruitwagons waiting for their re.
spective loads of peaches for canery
and shipment, while from the vine
yard came 'goose-necks" with their
freight OF grapes to be pressed into
raisins. Everything was going swim
mingly.
Above the rich brogue Of The
transfers, the sputterings Of the Japs,
the gutteral grunts of the Indians.
and muttered cusslngs in every cur.
rent tongue, arose the commanding
voice OF young Smithers. the manager.
With a ''fi-f" to the Cinnamon in the
loading-shed, get a move on" to a
gang of young boys at the packing.
tables. a threatening gesture toward
the Diggets. he kept everybody on a
rush while his watchful eye covered
every detail, from the ook-keeper in
the office to the mule in the goose.
neck"
Were going to get through all
right Tamaki," he said to the jap
boss. who combined the properties of
intelligence office, general foreman,
and sub-lessee, in his own shifty per.
son.
Men YER scarce, though" he
answered. as he turned to steady a
load of trays that were being
switched onto the track.
yes. but we're full.handed for
once" with glance over his congress
of nations.
Then Tamah. seeing the iron hot
came nearer Yer sorry" he said. in
confidential tones. but lust came
down to tell you boys think to have
little more money. So much hard
work. and hot weather"
But they're getting a dollar and
half day." said Smithers. "a ruth,
Gus rate for such a lot Of" he re
membered just in time that this was
not an occasion for crossing swords
Yes. ! know the little brown man
answered. imperturbablyi but bows
say they quit, no get s165."
Smithers looked at the little grin
ming Shylock. and thought how easy
1t would be TO throttle him on tbs
spot, but he also thought of the &
Japs picking fruit and the necessit,
of getting 1t harvested at once. so hi
kept his hands in his pockets. sayias
as coolly as he could: Very sorry
too. but boys get no more money from
me- ~
Il 'fraid boys quit" tainted Tama
XII; fine crop, too. Too bad lose EN-,
Then Smithers. knowing the scare
ity of white men as laborers. and re
Numbering how lucky he had though
himself to get this band of Japs whei
other growers were losing tons o
fruit because labor was so scarce
choked down his wrath, and said: -
I'm tell you what III do. Tamaki
I'll give $1.65 the rest OF this week
If you'll SEQ that they work hard ans
earn it." hoping to get out OF th'
woods by then. n
And Tamaki. seeing the boys" has
never thought OF objecting to theil
regular 81 a day, pocketed the pros
pect of his extra 65 cents per capita
with 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
a sacrifice was curtailed, and every
available hand on the place was
turned to picking peaches. In the
midst OF IL all. Tamaki appeared in