The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-20
Harvest Hands


(Cepgsighe. 1911. b. Asoociass6 Laseeasy Srooo)
They wanted harvest hands in
Indiana. Iowa, Kansas-all over the
west. They wanted them % bad
that very high wages were offered
and agents sent east to talk and ad'
vertise. It was free fare out. with
keep on the road. and then 50 per
day and the most liberal board for
weeks and weeks. It was the great.
est chance for the students working
their way through college. and scores
Of them took advantage Of 1t.
Dwight Carleton. Of Columbia,
looked upon 1t as q special interpo-
sition Of Providence. In six weeks he
could earn sufficient to take him
through the winter term. He had
no wealthy father to back him.
Fourteen hours per day in the har.
vest field. and the farmer carrying
crouch because he could not make 1t
fifteen! A bed on the hay In the
barn, and every man still hungry as
he arose from the liberal table,"
The husky workers groaned and per-
spired and stood it. Those who had
never roughed it kept on as long as
they could. and dropped out and were
paid of and told to 60. And when
Dwight Carleton was handed his
wages, after ten days Of back.
breaking work, he found them insult.
fcient even to pay his railroad fare
back as far as Chicago. And then
some one stole his spare clothing, and
Shen he "hit the pike" he had
nothing to carry in his hands.
There came day to Dwight Carle.
ton when ne had to sit down by the
roadside and wonder If he could ever
make another mile Exhausted with
hunger and tramping and exposure,
and fever burning him. he sat with
his head in his hands and his courage
all gone. And then the children from
the country school. a quarter Of mile
away, came along on their way home
and stopped to look at him and make
comments. And q little later came
the schoolma'am in her pink sunbon'
ne: and clean calico dress.
"You are Ill.," she said - she
glanced at the young man.
He nodde his head.
"Well, come back to the hrst
house. That's where I live. My faith.
er IL a farmer. but I'm teaching this
school this term. You are III I'D
weak. Take my arm"
But I'm pcnniless." replied tho e.
harvest hand with . rueful smile.
"Come now. and we'll walk slow
~"
It was after the patient had got to
tho house and found q bed and the
telephone had summoned q doctor.
that the farmer came up from the
field to say to his daughter:
"For the last two years you've
been trying to turn this house into
q tramp hospital. and now you've
done 1t! That Teller is playing pos.
sum on you. He's got to get out Of
this and move along!"
The father was taken into the bed.
room of the half-asleep. muttering
young man and shown the palms Of
his hands. They were blistered.
"Guess he's been at work some.
where's and played out. but 1t Amt
for us to pay his doctor bills and
nurse him"
81 can pay. father. from my school
money"
"Humph! And when he gets able
to go, he'll steal my best horse"
1t was two weeks before the pa.
tient was eble to leave his room. and
two more before he was moving
around outdoors. Before that he had
told his story and written letter to
be mailed to New York city,
Trying to get through college
hump" was the farmers reply. MA.
our Susies soft as butter. She be-
lieves every word that Teller says.
and you keep your eye out that they
don't elope together. That letter to
New York was only blind. It'll
never DO took notice Of"
But It was. There came an an.
swer and big money order. and
young MIR. Carleton was to get some
clothes and come on as soon as he
could. He owed something to the
farmer At family council the
farmer reckoned that $50 would be
about right.
"IIe shall ne-er pay 1t. father" ex-
claimed the daughter as the red
blazed up in her checks.
"Then who will?"
Il will! / told you so in the be-
ginning. That money is only loan
from a friend"
Out In the orchard. the day before
he left, the ex-harvest hand tried to
pay the money to his nurse. but she
held her hands behind her and said
she wanted to be his creditor.
For how long," he asked.
It'll you-you-"
Il shall come back some day to pay
my debt. When I do l shall ask for
something I dare not speak of now.
How long will you waltz"
arcox ooch q, fhlrtv dova tho rulo y"