Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-01-06
THE THREE MELON SEEDS.

cript:-
When was school-boy, more than fifty
wears ago. | remember to have read in an Eng
ish journal, whose name have now forgotten,
q story, which, may have been fiction; but
which was very naturally told, and made deep
impression upon me then. will endeavor TO
draw it forth from the locker of my memory !;
and engage, beforehand, to be very much indebt-
ed to any one who will indicate It's original
source
Three young gentlemen, who had finished
the most substantial part of their repast, were
lingering over their fruit and wine at an eating
house, in London, when man OF middle-age
and middle stature entered the public room
where they were sitting, seated himself at one
end of small, unoccupied table, and calling the
waiter, ordered simple mutton-chop and a
glass Of ale. His appearance, at first view, was
not likely to arrest the attention of any one
His hair was getting to be thin and gray; the
expression of his countenance was sedate, with
a slight touch, perhaps, of melancholy, and he
wore gray surtout, with a standing collar
which, manifestly had seen service, if the wear
er had not-just such thing as an officer would
bestow upon his serving man. He might be
taken, plausibly enough, for country magis-
trate, or an attorney of limited practice, or
schoolmaster.
He continued to masticate his chop and sip
his ale in silence, without lifting his eyes from
the table, until melon seed, sporively snapped
from between the thumb and finger of one of
the gentlemen at the opposite table, struck him
upon the right ear. His eye was instantly up
on the aggressor. and his ready intelligence gath
cred from the lily suppressed merriment of the
party, that this petty impertinence was inten-
tiona.
The stranger stopped and picked up the mel
on seed, and scarcely perceptible smile passed
over his features, as he carefully wrapped up
the seed in piece of paper and placed it in his
pocket. This singular procedure, with their
preconceived impressions of their customer
somewhat elevated as they were by the wine
they had partaken, capsized their gravity entire
ly, and burst of irresistible laughter proceed
ed from the group
Unmoved by this rudeness, the stranger con-
tinued to finish his frugal repast in quiet, until
another melon seed from the same hand struck
him upon the right elbow. This also, to the in
finite amusement of the other party, he picked
from the floor and gracefully deposited with the
first.
Amidst shouts of laughter a third melon seed
was soon after discharged, which hit him upon
the left breast. This also he very deliberately
took from the floor and deposited with the 9TH
er two.
AS he rose and was engaged in paying for his
repast, the gayety Of these sporting gentlemen
became slightly subdued. 1t was not easy 20
account for this. Lavater would not have been |
able to detect the slightest evidence of irritation
or resent upon the features of the stranger. He |
seemed a little taller, to be sure, and the car
riage Of his head might have appeared to them |
rather more erect. He walked to the table at |
which they were sitting, and with that air of Dig
nifed calmness which is thousand times more |
terrible than wrath, drew card from his pock-
ct, they had glance at the undress coat of
military man. The card disclosed his rank, and
brief inquiry at the bar was sufficient for the
rest. He was captain, whom i'll health and
long service had entitled to half pay. In earlier
life he had been engaged in several affairs of
honor, and, in the dialect of the fancy he was
dead shot.
The next morning note arrived at the ag-
gressor's residence, containing challenge in
form, and only one of the melon Seeds The
truth then flashed before the challenged party
it was the challenger's intention to make three
bites at this cherry, three separate affairs out of
this unwarrantable froc The challenge was
accepted, and the challenged party, in Difference
w sHO ShohChSSi lCpul6u Shll Will Tic plSIOlf
had half decided upon the small sword; but his
friends, who were on the alert soon discovered
that the captain, who had risen by his merit, had
in the earlier days Of his necessity, gained his
bread as an accomplished instructor in the use
of that very weapon. They met; and fired, al
by lot; the young man had selected
this mode, thinking he might win the first fire; he
did-6rei and missed his opponent The cap
tain leveled his pistol and fired-the ball pass
ed through the flap of the right ear, and grazed {
the bone; and as the wounded man involuntary
put his hand to the place, he remembered that it
was on the right ear of his antagonist that the ,
first melon seed had fallen. Here ended the
first lesson. A month had passed. His friends ]
cherished the hope that he would hear nothing
more from the captain, when another note-a
challenge of course--and another of those ac-
cursed melon seeds arrived, with the captains
apology on the score of ill-health, for not send
ng it before.
Again they met-fred simultaneously, and
he captain, who was unhurt, shattered the right /
elbow Of his antagonist--the very point upon
which he had been struck by the second melon !
seed: and here ended the second lesson. There !
vas something awfully impressive in the moduS t
operandi and exquisite skill of this antagonist {
The third melon seed was still in his possession |
Ind the aggressor had not forgotten that it had !
struck the unoffendng gentleman, upon the left z
breast! A month had observation-disclosures Q