Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-06
CHAPTER VT.
THr NEW PoLE-PULLER

ChAI NAs
 THE NEW PoLE-PULLER. As Rossiter came out from break fast the next morning, which was Thursday, he found Jack Parmelee awaiting him.
 q was Iookin' for you," said MT. Merton's factotum. Well go over, ahead of the rest, an I'll show you how it's done"
 They crossed the road together, Parmelee swinging 8 hop-dog in one : hand.
 sYou ain't farmer" said he, eye dng Rossiter.
 Not exactly,' answered the latter, tsthough I've often done farm work" Well, there's a dunn sight worse things than farmin'. You don't catch me shut up in shop peddlin' calico an jew-jaws to lot O fussy wo- men."
 '.Yes.'' Rossiter answered, 'sthe open air is the natural place for Ia man.
 sNone Q your town life for mel" said Parmelee. "There's too much blamed noise; too many pesky peo- ple about"
 Perhaps I should have been a Z farmeP,' said' Rossiter. 'I'm not par ticularly fond of racket and crowd. ," You've lived in town, though; that's plain enough to see"
 'Yes," said Rossiter, with nod. ssHow'd you guess it?''
 "Oh, it's easy to tell. In the first place, you don't talk like a country man.''
 They had reached the hop-feld by this time, and made their way to where the box in which Rossiter had picked was standing.
 @You'n pull for these three boxes,' ,'' said Parmelee, indicating the one near them, the one where the Be- crafts had been and the half-box which Miss Merton and her cousin had used. .'The girls won't trouble you much. They're pickin' for health or pleasure. whichever you've mind ito call 1t"
 Parmelee now swung the strap of the hop-dog about his neck and, after cutting the vines of one hill very close to the ground, proceeded to show Rossiter how the pole should be loosened.
 "Oh, you'll make it go,'' said he, with seeming ease.
 Rossiter was then instructed in regard to stripping the poles after the hops had been picked, and in stacking them in Indian-wigwam fashion by making a basis of four poles fastened together by a piece of vine about three feet from the top and then spread wide apart at the bottom. Just as the lesson was lover the pickers began to cross into the yard. Rossiter had said nothing ho the Becrafts in regard to his new departure, thinking it would be rather good fun. to surprise them. He was bringing a second pole to lay across the end where Mrs. Becraft and her daughter picked when the family approached, Joe leading the way.
 He observed Rossiter and came to h dead stop.
 What in thunder are you up to?'' he demanded.
 Cant you see?" said Rossiter. pYou've got new pole-puller.''
 
 claimed, while the others expressed their. astonishment in various small outcries; T thought you'd never been in hop-yard before?"
 ''This is my first experience, I as. sure you," said Rossiter, and then he Informed them how the change had come about.
 ''We'H make you hustle!" cried Zoe, breaking off long branch from the end of vine and beginning tc strip the hops into the box. "You'I wish you'd never seen hop-pole be. fore night.''
 'sI'll risk it." returned Rossiter good-naturedly, moving away to at tend the other pickers who were un, der his care.
 Work had been going on for ar hour or more when Miss Merton anc Miss Densmore appeared in the field Rossiter spied them coming, and haf a pole ready for them when they reached their box. Both girls recog nized him by slight inclination o1 the head, and he replied to thei1 Z salutation by removing his cap.
 We've a new poll-puller, see,' COmmenUeQ MISS MeFIon, W1Gh 4 cer tain pretty air of proprietorship 1T everything that was going on. "l hope you won't find it so hard as MT Gridley seemed to-"
 At this instant Joe Becraft set up : shout of "Hop-pole!" so Rossite1 thanked her for her kindly wishe: and hurried away. .sWhat q polite pole-puller!" ex claimed Miss Merton when Rossitel