The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-01-23

should be conducted in grand style. My
mother baked me a cake, and buttered crack
ers and cut large slices of ham for
my contributions TO the feast. Walk
ing in the garden | espied Ebon's
large, round. ripe watermelon. 1t was ear
lier ripe than its fellows, for it had been
the object of Ebon's special care. Again
and again had he turned it over 10 the warm
sun, and just before he left he raised it up
on a smooth fiat stone to enjoy every adj
vantage of warmth and air. o, if only had
that melon! thought !; none of the boys
have got a melon to carry if only had ite
This was not wished once, twice or thrice,
but many times, until ii grew 10 my very
mind.
'What are you thinking Off asked Bill
Parsons, as | walked silently besides HIM in
the street., an hour after.
Something replied | significantly.
Tell me, now; [ won't tell, said he coax
ingly.
After some slight demur, / told him how l
| desired Ebon's melon for the pic mic.
'Capital!' said Bill, who was very fond of
Melons, let's have it,!
why, mother will not let me have it, be-
cause it is not hers to give, and Ebon has
not come home,' replied /.
20 never mind that You know what the
college boys tells about their sprees. They
make nothing of robbing hen roosts, and
carrying of whatever they lay their hands on
It's all in a joke you know. Now let's have
Ebon's melon.
Many words passed between us, and at
last it did not seem a very bad joke, for in
that aspect could [ alone persuade myself
TO see it. | went home-that night, or new
er, must the melon be secured.
Evening stole on and Bill Parsons no lon
ger near 10 aid his dangerous sophistry, ]
was the victim of doubts and hesitation.-
About the garden | hung, and as often to
wards the melon | advanced, and as offer
trembling, / receded. Ii grew darker anc
) darker.
Bill says, 1t will be SO capital And afieI
all, it is only a joke! ] rushed forward, ant
5 Selling fast hold, snapped it from the stem
| The deed done, | FASTENED to hide the trea
sure i'll the barn.
{ The next morning, I rose at an early hou
for no sound sleep had visited my pillow
} that night. After breakfast, my mother tiet
, up the eatables she had prepared for me, il
a nice white bag, and kissing my cheel
babe me be a good boy. ! ran out the from
e door, and then stole around into the barn
r There lay the melon. Hastily did %contriv,
J to thurst it into the bag, and 10th was it t
600 small was the bag, so large the mel
on. Succeeding at last | slung the bag oy
u er my shoulder and fastened away. The
melon was very heavy on my back. but a
: heaviest load was on my heart. Tugging t
e the place of RendeZvouse, before half there
0 in a little cross street,, | sal down upon a larg
log, hot and weary.
n Il cannot carry this Melon said |, open
ing the bag and looking at it with remorseiu
spirit. i cannot carry this poor melon.-
n Out came The melon-and, tossing it owe
the fence, | scampered on with all the spec
was master OF.
The day passed off YEARLY e~noughto me
Bill Parsons called me a coward, when h
ID beheld no melon, and his bitter taunts ranl
led in my heart all day.
II What wonder, what regrets, attended th
discovery of the theft.
That beautiful melon %stolenn! exclaime
n Ebon believing it to be impossible.
a That you took such pains withn sal
K Robert.
P; what an ugly theft
i am very sorry, my son. and father loo
ln ed very regretfully.
IS You will have another soon, Ebon,' sal
our mother, encouragingly.
IN But it will not be like that, mother
70. did nurse it so earthly.
We Poor Ebon! | cannot describe the mi
" cry, the fear, the wreichedness which TO
my heart during the days which followed
- Where the happy independence of c%onsciot
integrity Icringed before the affectiona
q ~caresses ofmy brothers. Appetite fled, al
spirits for sock me. When my mother, wi
= anxious look, feared | was sick, | coldly a
~, y swered, and rudely fled from her enquire
az Every obiec ct | beheld seemed to reflect oil
dreadful image-that | was a thief. [ boz
- il until | could bear it no longer. 1t vas S;
~ urday afternoon, and | turned distasteful
~ away from all Saturday ~afteroon ffolics,
- Immediately sought my fathers countin
room.
Father are you alone! / asked the door /
ing ajar.
~ yes, my son; walk in, | an happy
see you,' and he put aside his newspap
In [ went, and shut the door firmly b
- hind me. Planting myself c~ourageously
~ H. fore him, while the life-blood seemed oc
-. ing from my heart
Father I began.i it was I who stole Ebol
melon' stole ii in the night
~ l shall never forget the griefexpressi
NC which came Suddenly over nv fathers ia