Year: 1871

ing


Yesterday morning, just when the
drowsy god holds US the closest We
were startled from our innocent dreams
by heavy knocking at our bedroom
door. We thought Of burglars, murder,


FIRE, everything in short except the
cause OF the alarm. Hastily putting
on our unmentionables, hind side first
which caused US to walk backwards
we opened the door, and beheld the
earnest face Of NJ. c. Ellis, one Of the
heaviest ranchers Of Sutter county, now
q resident of Marysville, and connected
with the Plaza Steam FIGURING Mills,
who, in answer to our inquiry OF What
is the matter nowY' replied, Dress
yourself and 60 out to the ranch with
me; we have something to do there.
this morning" Grumbling we obeyed
orders-that is a reporters duty-and
donning our garments, went down to
Marysville Stables, where We supposed
we should find team ready. Disap-
pointment is apt to come OF too great
expectations, especially when one ex-
poets too much oil stable men, The
hostler who is a second cousin to Rip
Van Wrinkle, had fallen asleep after
being awakened, and before we could
arouse him and get q team ready q
half hour had passed, and -four o'clock
in the morning" came just as we rolled
out of the stable, "Drive with tight
lines" said the stable man. Did we do
it2 Not much. Ellis rather pushed
on them instead OF holding them tight.
After taking a drink from a bottle
found in the buggy "a preacher drove
it the day before), and lighting our
cigars; our companions condescended
to inform US what he desired. Said he:
you know that once upon time
General Bidwell cut some grain, thresh-
ed it, ground the wheat, baked bread
from the flour and ate it for supper.
Now, l proprose to beat this, and beat
it badly, 1t is seven miles to my ranch,
and | intend to drive there, cut and
thresh some grain, take it to the Plaza
Mills, grind it, have my wife make
biscuits from the flour, and we will
eat them for breakfast before 9 o'clock
this msrning" After finishing this
long speech, he gave another push on
the lines and relapsed into silence. In
fifty minutes We were at the ranch, but
here another disappointment awaited
us. The teams were not in the field,
and another half hour went by before
the machinery was ready to be put in
motion. Then Mr.. Ellis mounted to
the header and cut header full Of the
golden grain" We laid aside our
coat and mounted the footboard OF the
tbresbing machine, and when the grain
arrived we fed it through. From the
grain thus cut and threshed our sack
was taken, and as the grain cannot be
ground without soaking, it was thor
oughly wetted there in the field. We
then started for the city, which We
reached in forty minutes from the ranch.
Arrived at the mill, another disappoint-
ment awaited US. The grain was too
wet, and another half hour was lost 10
drying it. II was then put through
the screens, from thence into the hopper;
and soon sack OF -four was produced
from the wheat which stood in the field
but few hours before. From the mill
to the residence OF Mr.. Ellis, when Mrs.
Ellis took charge OF it, and in half an
hour we heard the welcome to break
fast. At five minutes to eight, by the
same watch which timed US all the way
through, we sat down TO a splendid
breakfast, and before US was the bis.
cults made from the flour we had
worked 80 hard to obtain. This 10 a
true story, a plain statement OF the
quickest work ever done in the State.
If any man can beat this, he will have
to eat his biscuits for supper the day
before the wheat is cut.-MdysriHc
(Cal.) Appeal.