United States or Burkina Faso ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The best paid men, the "splitters," made fifty cents an hour, which would be five or six dollars a day in the rush seasons, and one or two in the dullest. A man could live and save on that; but then there were only half a dozen splitters in each place, and one of them that Jurgis knew had a family of twenty-two children, all hoping to grow up to be splitters like their father.
But never fear, Miss Ellen, I ain't a going to ask you that again." He shook the little hand; and from that time Ellen and her rough charioteer were firm friends. Mrs. Van Brunt now summoned them to table; and Ellen was well feasted with the splitters, which were a kind of rich short- cake, baked in irons, very thin and crisp, and then split in two and buttered whence their name.
Following the sinuosities of the river, this must have been a mile and a half below the splitters' crossing-place; and time had been passing, for there was the setting sun, blazing through a gap in the timber, and its mirrored reflection stretching half a mile of dazzling radiance along a straight reach of the river.
Never after did we hear anything but compliments and commendations, as what was then said was against the sense of the whole Colony. The next town we arrived at was Guildford; on the road the caravan passed by a splitters' camp, the men there came round the camels, and as usual stared wide-eyed with amazement.
"You mean to let her know where to come when she wants good things, mother. Well, I won't say splitters ain't worth waiting for." Ellen heard him sit down, and then she guessed from the words that passed, that Mrs. Van Brunt and her little maid were busied in making the cakes; she lay quiet.
First there were the "splitters," the most expert workmen in the plant, who earned as high as fifty cents an hour, and did not a thing all day except chop hogs down the middle.
These vessels operate mostly between Boston and Gloucester, and their catch goes principally to "the splitters." since the abundance of the fish naturally operates to reduce its price. This pollock netting comes to an abrupt end with the closing days of January, when the fish move offshore.
The kitchen was bright with firelight and candlelight; the tea-table looked beautiful with its piles of white splitters, besides plenty of other and more substantial things; and at the corner of the hearth sat Mr. Van Brunt. "So," said he, smiling, as Ellen came in and took her stand at the opposite corner "So I drove you away this morning? You ain't mad with me yet, I hope."
By keeping straight on, I must soon strike the old horse-paddock fence, where the splitters used to keep their bark; and in an hour and a-half more, I would be at my camp.
Barrels, boards, and sharp knives are in requisition. Torches are set up about the deck. The men divide up into gangs of four each and group themselves about the "keelers," or square, shallow boxes into which the fish to be dressed are bailed from the deck. Two men in each gang are "splitters"; two "gibbers."
Word Of The Day