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

A 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 latest fowls and ia
vorite cat.
One afternoon, however. jus: at nighilall,
he overheard couple of mischievous boys
talking together, when one of them says
"What 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; ''I know a
place where you can get over Just as easy
know it like a 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 i: somewhat bother
some for them. Ned proposed to get over
the wall on the south side, by the great
( pear tree, and cut directly across 10 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. Gel him once started to do thing
and he would stick 10 it, like a mud-turtle
/ 10 a 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 70
get over; uncovered large water vat that
had been filed for some time, which, in
dry weather, | was accustomed TO water
my garden dog trench foot or so deep
ana 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
/ ii 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
( a little fun as well as they, and when the
> time came, from his hiding place he list
ened
( "Whist, Joe don't you hear something?'i
! think that it was very probable they
/ did, for hardly were the words uttered
than there came a sound OF forcibly tearing
iustan.
''Get off my coat tail p' whispered one.
"There goes one flap as sure as gum
Why get off, Ned"
And Ned was of, and one leg off hi:
breeches besides; and then he was ''oh !"
ing, and telling Joe that he "believed there
was nails in the side of the wall, for some
thing had scratched him most tremendously
and had toir his breeches all TO pieces"
Joe sympalhized with him, for he sai'
half his coat was hanging up there some
where"
They now started hand in hand. for Net
believed she knew the way" They ha'
arrived little beyond the trees whel
something went swash! swash into tn
water-vat
A sneeze ensues, and then exclamation
"Thunder that water smells rather old
Ned wanted 10 &C home at once, but Jo
was tho much excited 10 listen for a me
Rent TO such proposition.
''Never heard anything about that cister
before the old fellow must have fixed
CT purpose to drown people in. Curiou:
though, that we should both fall in IL"
They pushed on for tie melons. Pres
emily they were caugh, by the cords, an
headlong they went into heap of brier
and thisiles, and the like, which had bee
placed there for their express accommoda
tion.
Such gettin up stairs - muttere
one.
"Nettles and thistles. how they prick
exclaimed the other.
They now determined 10 60 on more cat
tiously. AT length they arrived at tn
patch: -