Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-05
CHAPTER V.
AN oLp ACQUAINTANcE

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE. A gruff clamoring from without, and a tremendous humping on the side of the building, awakened Ros- sitter the following day. The unusual sensation of finding himself in clean and comfortable bed created for a brief space a great wonder in his mind, and it was not until he espied Joe Becraft sitting upon the edge of his cot yawning and stretching himself that he became fully aware where he was lying. The instant he scrambled out upon the floor he knew that the air. had changed dur Ing the night, for a fresh breeze swept in an adjacent window. Drops of rain glistened in the pale dawn on the grass where 1t was not shel- tered by the trees, but Rossiter dis covered when he went towards the barn for morning scrub that it was only the edge of the shower that had touched the Merton farm. The att mosphere, however, had cleared and the dust was laid, so that everyone was in excellent humor.
 As he came out from breakfast with the Becrafts two men were bearing the last double hop-box into the yard across the way where the picking was to begin. Presently Jack Parnaelee appeared and announced that everything was in readiness, whereat there was a general move ment towards the yard. The women and girls had provided themselves with great sun-hats and cotton 1I.e hot some of the boys had also procured a protection for their heads.
 Docs one need gloves of any sort?'' he inquired of Joe Becraft. sI don't see that you have any"
 Jim an I never use 'em," was the reply. Eff the vines bother you at first, you'll find your skin'n get toughened to lem after httle." Jack Parmelee had the apportion- ment of the pickers, and at Ros-, siter's request he was placed at box adjoining his friends, where he could talk across the rows to them. He had for his companions car penter from Illica, who was out of a job, and his wife and son, boy of Jim Becraft's age. He fell into pleas
 
 they had frequently been in the hop fields before, they gave him such simple instruction as was necessary in regard to picking. Shortly after operations began an additional Is pickers arrived from Hintonville, and the scene became an animated one. Cries of "Hoppoie!" rang up and down the field. The po1e-pullers, with their hop-dogs tan instrument for pulling poles consisting of s toothed clamp attached to a stout strap hung about the neclx), hastened hither and thither supplying the needs of the pickers, stripping and stacking the poles as fast as the hops were removed from the vines. ,sAcquaintances shouted greetings and gossip from one box to another. Then, as the sun grew high, awnings were suspended for those who ob- iected to the heat.
 Rossiter thoroughly enjoyed it all. The odor of the hops was delightful Go him, and erelong he found his fin gers growing nimble, so that he was gratified to see from the pile in his box that he was holding his own fair " we'll WIGn HIS I0HOW-tOlIcTSs Aoy and by, shortly after half-past eight, some one shouted "Hop-sacki" 'My goodnessl" exclaimed the car ] ipenter's wife, "that's quick workI They must have dumped Suppose we try 1t, Ben, and see how much we've got"
 To "dump," Rossiter discovered a meant to empty the hops from one partially filled box into another, SC that they should have less time tc settle. The carpenter at once pro. eeeded to carry out his wife's sug gestion, but when he had finished they still lacked two inches of hay ing one level box.
 Lets hustle,'' said he, perhaps we'll get the second" They made ' their fingers fly, and soon he, too was yelling "Hop-sack!"
 Jack Parmelee speedily appeared with several bags of coarse stuff un der his arm, into one of which he emptied the hops from the now brim ming box. Then he handed out 6 strip of cardboard upon which was printed