Across the Fruited Plain

ve hundred cotton-pickers were wanted at once in Arizona. T

's ulcerated tooth pulled, and the Reo's patched tires replaced with better us

ly. "And, worse than that, we've let Gramma and

nting and digging and hauling he's done, he says he hasn't a cent

s; where Indians sat under brush shelters by the highway and held up pottery for sale. Down into Arizona, where Grandma had to admit that the colors she'd seen on the picture postcards of it were not too bright. Here were red rocks, pink, blue-gray, white, yellow,

s. There were snub-nosed Model T's, packed till they bulged; monstrous Packards with doors tied shut; yellow roadsters that had been smart ten years ago, jolting along with ma

e more, "and no room for these folks. Half a m

drought dried up their farm and the wind blew it a

dpa assented. "Thousands of the

w near the part of Arizona where the pickers had been called for. The Beecha

ow much they pay,

ual this year, and a fellow can make

e road, the Beechams with it. The

you paying?"

ents a h

hat pay," Daddy growled, the corn

o," the manager barked at him. "Here's two

ent to picking at once. Grandma had saved their old cot

too many pickers and they all tried to get more than their share. The Beechams started at noon. At night, when t

oreman said, "No more wo

er voice shaking, "bring us from

foreman. "First co

tforms faced inward toward central buildings, and everything was clean and orderly. They drove in. Yes, they could pitch their tent there, the man in the office said; there was one vacant fl

in the shower baths. Twice a day they washed themselves, and their clothes were kept fresher than they had been for a

aid Grandpa. "If onl

and was scabies--the itch--picked up in some othe

day they came back discouraged. Even in the fine camp, money leaked out steadily for food. At last the Bee

r discoveries aloud. "Lookit! Oranges on trees!" "Roses! And those red Christmas flowers

ses and gardens!"

osters: PICKERS WANTED; and the Re

peering at the pea-pickers' camp, cried, "My

for folks to live in," Grandpa sputtered, "but if I was him I'd dig

ece farther,"

lars is the least we can keep against the

nd lived in the "jungle" camp, pitching thei

behind the shacks, using the same back wall. Mattresses that looked as if they came from the dump lay on the ground with tarpaulins s

Jimmie and Sally were always in the load. The back seat was crowded, and a helper sat in front with the driver and held Sally, while Jimmie sat between. He li

de school hours; but the school was too far from the camp and there wa

d soberly, "the sooner we ca

d, "we get such an appetite that we eat m

shade instead of picking. There was much sickness in this camp, anyway. There was only one well, and it was not protected from filth. The flies were everywhere. Grandma boiled

; and before they were picked, Jimmie complained that his thro

and rain; but it was Jimmie who really worried her, he was so sick. And when he

n't even got salt enough for a hot salt bag, or c

them like a dark cage, shutting t

e looked grave as she examined him. "If you belonged in the county, I could g

g so he could hear. At night Daddy held him in strong, tired arms and sang funny songs he had learned in his one year of college. Grandma tempted Jimmie's appetite w

d lost her appetite, staying in the tent so close, and she was glad to reduce, anyway. Grandpa said there was nothing like soup; so the kettle was kept bo

s Pinkerton stopped and said, "Jimmie's well enough

went to another "jungle," one where trachoma was bad. Here she left Jimmie in the car; but he could watch, for the children came outdoors t

es, and in the next, ten miles away, M

to the orchard country, where there was no sign of a store. He was relieved when she nosed the car in u

ead napkins. For Jimmie she laid out a meat sandwich, a jam sandwich, a big orange-colored persimmon, and a cookie: not a dull stor

o cotton and into peas, without knowing how to take care of the throbbing wound. When Miss Pinkerton first saw it, she doubted whether leg or bo

d at the helpless mother, and she whispered, "Aren't

erton with a shy hand. "_Gracias_--thank you," he said, "but why yo

ell worth taking trouble for as just

peoples don't think like that way,"

" Miss Pinkerton answered slowly. "Y

e boy said.

ght men to love one another.

ame, but I ain't never

bout him?" Miss

s Pinkerton told them about Jesus, how he used his life to help other people be kinder to each other. The camp children listened with mouths open, and brushe

e in a choked, angry voice. "I wish I'd been there. I bet them guys wouldn't-wouldn't got so fresh with--with him. But listen

opped, he got his voice. "Miss Pink'ton, did he m

"He--he didn't know he

either," Jimmie

ype="