The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1860-09-12
Stealing Water Melons.

man in country town took great
pleasure in having neat garden. He had
all kinds OF vegetables and fruits earlier
than his neigh5ors. But thieving boys in
the neighborhood annoyed him damaged
his trees, trampled down his flowers, and
"hooked" his choicest fruits. He tried va
rious ways 10 protect his grounds but his
watch dogs were poisoned, and his set traps
caught nothing but his failest fowls and ia
vorite cat.
One afternoon, however. jus. al nighifall,
he overheard couple of mischievous boys
talking together, when one of them says
'tWhat do you say, Joe Shall we come
the grab over them melons tonight. Old
Swipes will be snoring like ten men before
twelve o'clock"
The other objected, as there was high
wall 10 get over.
"Oh, pshaw % was the reply; ~ know a
place where you can get over just as easy
know it like book. Come, Joe, let's
go it."
The owner of the melon-patch didn't like
the idea of being an eaves-dropper but
the. conversation 50 intimately concerned
his melons, which he had taken SO much
pains TO raise, that he kept quiet, and list.
ened 10 the plans of the scapegraces, so
that be might make j: somewhat bother
some for them. Ned proposed to ge, over
the wall on the south side, by the great
pear tree, and cut directly across TO the
summer house, Just north OF which were
the melons.
Joe was clever fellow, who loved good
fruit exceedingly, and was as obstinate as
an ass. GET him once started TO do thing
and he would stick 10 it, like a mud-turile
10 negroes toe. The other didn't care so
much for the melons as for The fun of get
ing them.
Now hear the owners story.
81 made all needful preparations for the
visit; put in brads pretty thick in the scant-
ling along the wall where they intended TO
get over; uncovered large water vat that
had been filled for some time, which, in
dry weather, l was accustomed 10 water
my garden dug trench foot or SO deep
and placed slender boards over it which
were slightly covered with dirt, and Just
beyond them some little cords, fastened
/ tightly, some eight inches above the ground
( picked all the melons cared to preserve,
leaving pumpkins and squashes, about the
size ahd shape Of melons, in their places"
The boys were quite right in supposing
it would be dark but they missed it little
in inferring that ''old Swipes" as they call
him, would be in bed. The old man liked
little fun as well as they, and when the
time came, from his hiding place he list
ened
( "Whist, Joe don't you hear somelhing?"
think that it was very probable they
did, for hardly were the words uttered
( than there came sound of forcibly tearing
( iustian.
"Get off my coat tail ~ whispered oue
"There goes one flap as sure as gun!-
Why ge, off, Ned"
And Ned was of, and one leg off hi.
breeches besides and then he was sob, ,".
ing, and telling Joe that he "beleved there
was nails in the side of The wall, for some
thing had scratched him most tremendously
and had totn his breeches all 10 pieces"
Joe sympathized with him, for he saiC
half his coat was hanging up there some
where"
They now started hand in hand. for Nee
believed "he knew the way" They haC
/ arrived a little beyond the trees wher
something went swash swash into tn,
water-yat.
A sneeze ensues, and then exclamation
"Thunder that water smells rather old!'
Ned wanted 10 go home at once, but 10,
was tho much excited 10 listen for a mo
ment TO such proposition.
"Never heard anything about that cisterr
before the old fellow must have fixed
on purpose TO drown people in. Curious
though, that we should both fall in it"
They pushed on for TIE melons. Pres
emily they were caught by the cords, ant
headIong they went into heap of brier
and thislles, and the like, which had beel
placed there for their express accommoda
tion.
+" Such gettin mp stairs ~ mutteret
one.
"Nettles and thistIes; how they prick =
exclaimed the other.
They now determined TO go on more eau
tiously. At length they arrived at tn
patch.