WITH THE THRESHING MILL

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 386, 26 August 1884, Page 5

WITH THE THRESHING MILL

Once, it does not matter when, it was my fortune to be for a short time a threshing mill hand. I had often heard that almost fabulous wages were made at suck work, but I had also heard that the labor was hard, and that to endure the one and earn the other was the true stamp pf a man. Now, I had no objection to the big wages, and had a secret desire to learn whether the muscles which had not been put to a lengthened strain for nearly eleven years still retained then* pristine elasticity. I accordingly accepted an offer to join a mill, my employer considerately telling me that he would instruct the foreman to give me an easy job. Behold me then with my swag rolled up in the orthodox " drum " style and wending my way to the mill. I had only about four miles to walk, and so I soon got there. It was just after mid-day when I got to the scene of action. The hands had just " turned to " after dinner. Thinking I should be none the worse for a meal I made my way to the galley, and interviewed the cook. I may explain this mill was working on contract — that is, the owner of it had agreed with the farmer to thresh all the crop at so much per hundred bushels and find men and everything. There is another way by which small farmers manage. They give the mill owner so much for the use of the machine, and give the nun usually a shilling an hour and their keep But they generally get a number of their neighbors to help, and repay them in the same way. At all events, as I said before, there was a cook with the mill aud I found him. enjoying a rest after the bustle of dinner. The galley was composed of a large sail hung against tho side of a straw stack. The sail had evidently withstood the perils of the sea before ifc came to its present use, and it was like Paddy's coat, a lot of holes sewed together. This would not matter much in fine weather, as it was only used f( r cooking and eating in. A long bench, consisting of boards of unequal lengths placed temporarily on some bags at one end and goodness know's how at the other, served as a table. It was plentifully strewed with pannikins and tin plates. There had been roast beef for dinner, also roast potatoes, also "duff." The cook explained that the men had come for dinner earlier than usual and the meat was a little raw. It was a little raw, or rather it was not cooked at all. But I managed to get a little piece and with some bread made a sort of a meal. Would I halve any duff ? Not any duff for me, thank you. A flabby dyspeptic mixture, guaranteed, I should judge from its appearance, to give indigestion at a quarter: of a jmile. However, I made my way Jfco the mill with a light heart and was soon set to work. I was instructed to mount the straw stack and fork the straw aw/iy from the elevators. I could manage this right enough, and soon began to doubt the truth of all the yarns I had heard about the hard work at the mills, t I don't know whether it was my unskilfnlness or a pure accident, but about the middle of the afternoon I inserted one of the prongs of the fork abejut an in oh into my calf. I neyer thoaght my blood was at such high pressure before. It spurted out fully a yard but I kept my finger on the wouid, while one of my mates went down and got a piece of rag to bind it with. We worked till a good while after dark-r-it was in May ; and as soon as the mill was made snug for the night, at which work each man has his allotted share, all hands made a- rash for tne galley. I could not understand why there was so much haste, but I was soon enlightened. It was a first come first served. The last £^j£jj^b»? Icnife and fork, and also got '.^fftr'reniuiiis of the meat," whatever it might happen to be. I never saw wild beasts fod, bur. the scene here at mealtimes must have been like it. Every man strove for .himself ; everyone in turn had a dig at the joint ; every man put kis fist in the can of potatoes which stood on the table, and having secured enough returned to wherever he could find room to stand and devour it. I do not think this is usually the case at such places. But I soon learned that the mill with which I was, was not in good repute. There had been some dissatisfaction about the wages, and the hands were continually being changed, so that only those who wanted work very badly joined it. I, however, resolved so see it out, as the new chapter in life that was being opened out was very interesting. Well, after tea was over the question arose in my mind how the evening was to be spent. There were no seats about. The night was bitterly cold, and the substitute for a fh'e was blocked up by two or throe who dii not care how much smoke they got, so one by one all hands went off to bed, that being tho only place where rest or warmth could be obtained. We were more than usually luclf3 r at this place. There was a good dry loft on the floor of which we all had beds of clean dry sheaves. Not so well off are many unfortunates "who follow the mill. They very often have to shift for themselves, and burrow in the straw stack or else on the ground under a flimsy tent. Almost every man smoked as soon as he got in bed, and conversation became general. One by one the talkers became silent ; one' by one the candles were extinguished, the deep breathing of tho sleepers and the champing of the horses in the stalls beneath were the only sounds to be heard. Tho novelt} 1 " of the situation kept me awake long after the others, but drowsiness at length overcame me and so ended my first day with the threshing mill.