Across the Fruited Plain

children stared in fascination until Jimmie grew too tired and huddled down against G

stick-stacks from the ponds; farms that made their own rain, with rows and rows

e bogs weren't at all what Rose-Ellen and Dick had expected, but only wet-looking fields of

ump their belongings inside. Grandma stood at the door, hands on hips, and

r, shrieking joyously, "Pee

e and she said, "You'll get enough peekanee

and Rose-Ellen, as a sudden storm pounded the roof w

S'pose this roof will leak

campkeeping. For supper they finished the enormous

's goosefeather bed, spread on the floor. After the r

Grandpa and Daddy had time first to knock together stools and a table, and to find on a

ndma grumbled, "a hobo

aightened the one room, the grown-ups discusse

can maka da living unless da keeds dey work, too. Dey

e we pick," Grandma said dubiously. "But my fingers are all thumb

tapping at the open door. Grandma looked at he

folks." She smiled down at Jimmie and Sally. "Wouldn't you like us to take care of yours while the g

ning on her broom. "But I never did get much n

and make things and learn Bible verses. And in the afte

lunch along?" G

hot lunch is par

how much d

l apiece

't make sense," Grandpa objected.

hes. The owner of the bog helps, too. But we'll have to hurry, or your row boss will be tooting his whistle." Her eyes wer

the girl carrying Sally, and Jimm

nt anyone to guess that he was bashful, he frowned fiercely. Because he didn't want anyone to think him

e that was the Center. Could it be safe to let Sally mingle wit

sent to rows of wash-basins. In a jiffy, clean babies lay taking their bot

g but "Her" and "She"), there were two girls and an older woman, all busy. When clean-up time

mie longed for storybooks and reading class; but how could he tell Her that he was nine years

for it was the first fruit they had ever picked. Though the wet bushes gave them shower baths, the sun soon dried them. Since the ground was deep in mud, they had go

began to drop briskly into the scoops. The children, who could get at the lower branches more easily, picked by hand; and before noon all the Beecham fingers were s

ck that night, sunburned and dirty and too stiff to straighten

ed me up a mess of pigs. You young-ones, you fetch a pail of water from the pump, and we'll see

a!" Dick reminded

I'm too old for

h energy and soon had potatoes boiling, pork sizzling, and tea brewing on the rickety stov

bag, and emptied it out on the table. There were scissors, crayons, paste, pencil, and sq

" he read, "Bethel

s!" Jimmie burst out miserably. "She sat us a

tly little head. "I said could I take mine home," Jimmie mu

d. She sat down and began the letter, with

ll be to tell her you didn't write

" Jimmie said, changing the subject. "

d into bed as soon as supper was done, and had to be dragged awake for breakfast

ey found the place alive with fun. Besides the three girls and the woman, there was a young man from a near-by university. He was organizing pin

some ways," Dick

weeks," D

body'd rather settle down in her own place. Who'd ever've thought I'd leave my solid oak din

-for Christmas," said Rose-Ellen, b

you take this chance to le

tell Her I can't r

, something happened t

-especially this year, when the berries were small; and the pickers got only fifteen cents a peck. The bogs had to be flooded every night to keep the fruit

that had been filled and heated with such effort. "If we was home, we'd be lighting little kindling fires

my pictures the neatest of anyone in the class, and She put them all on the wall. So then I didn't mind tell

y at him over his glasses. "It's a pity you didn't tell her sooner, young-one," he

won't! I'd rather go on and shuck oysters like Pauline Isabel and her

What about it, Grandma? Do we go back to the city and-and part

hing, either. He picked Sally up and hugged her so hard that she grunted and then put h

n into oysters," said G