Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-02-06
HARVEST IN THE PALOUsE

had never UN
-, the threshing game in the Pa
oo country although | had sew
q, times worked in the harvest
- nc shocker. The past season
niotlv gave it out that | was ready
work with a regular threshing
,.ow if the opportunity should come
no | was not anxious to have
very long experience, but just
,ob 70 know from actual contact
-.,th the business exactly what 1t
as like. Accordingly one fine
o,ning while | was in the elevator
accidentally dropped the hint of
~ willingness to work.
THAT same day about 10 O'Clock,
man raped at the front door of
NV home and when | went to find
9, what he wanted, he informed me
- had heard that | wanted a job
,,h a thresher. | replied that ! did
"a asked him what he wished me
i do. he said he needed bundle
wogon" man. | told him l probably
would be a very poor hand in that
cauacity as / had had absolutely no
ovnerience in teaming among these
hills He declared it was easy as he
had an outfit equipped with wide
axled wagons which was a guarantee
against upsetting, no matter how
awkward and inexperienced the driy-
or might be. Thereupon, l promptly
decided that | was willing to try any
thing once-that is, almost any
thing-and so ! agreed to be on hand
at noon ready for the ordeal. Then
Mr.. Druffel went away happy be-
cause as soon as l should report at
the camp for duty his crew would
be complete.
Ny mind was filled with certain
vague fears and misgivings. de
clined, however, to climb any hills
before coming to them, so in due
time and very boldly left home for
the wheatfields a mile away. Upon
my arrival at the machine, my team
and wagon were pointed out to me.
The horses, two beautiful dapple
grays weighing about 1900 pounds
each, were harnessed and ready for
their part of the game This fact,
| thought, would give me a big adj
vantage to start with, as / could
notice carefully how the harness
was adjusted, where each animal was
supposed to work, how the lines
we're done up when not in use, and
any other detail which might be of
n Importance. | disliked being con-
Sidered as a tenderfoot by my EN-
Dloyer and the other members of the
crew.
few minutes after my arrival
) which was the signal for every mem
Der OF the crew to get busy immed-
lately. | at once became acquainted
with my team. | can't exactly say
whether their first impressions of
me were favorable or not don t
see that it makes very much differ
ence what horse thinks OF his driy-
er anyway The one on the near
side was named Colonel" a big,
handsome, dark dapple gray fellow,
slightly inclined to be nervous and
hdgety. His mate, the one on the
+ OFF side, bore the somewhat un-
usual appellation of Blaze" She
was a little lighter in color, but was
about the same size. Both were in
excellent condition and were fairly
aching with strength.
E unsnapped their halter chains
and led them to the wagon tongue
E Snereupon Colonel very obstinately
REUSED to step over to his place. A
quck glance around me made me
aware that several pairs of eyes we're
watching me stealthily from here
anu there, among which were those
Vi my employer. | realized that it
was up to me" to get those horses
ultched to the bundle wagon in good
ume and shape. Colonel seemed SO
eumsy and unused to the act of
stepping over the tongue to his
poper place that | thought | would
~ Blaze. This worked to perfec-
uon as she showed herself to be a
,e'efan highstepper In about
'H'ee-quarters of a iiffy | had them
roperly hooked up and was ready
wi the shocks of grain. had
passed the first test with a double
E grade after which breathed
much easier.
me first few trips were like play
ioading and unloading, for it was
comparatively level ground where
'"e shocks stood which | was to haul
the machine first. | glanced side