Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-24
"MELoNs.D

Another Of BRET Harte's Heroes
The following bit OF description Ia
Bret Hartes best vein Is from his last
book of sketches; His age was about
seven. He looked older, from the ven
cradle whiteness Of his head, and II was
impossible TO conjecture his size, as be
always wore clothes apparently belong
ing 70 some shapely youth Of nineteen.
A pair OF pantaloons that, when sus-
tanned by a single suspender, completely
equipped him, formed his everyday suit
Bow, with this lavish superiority Of
clothing, he managed 10 perform the
surprising gymnastic feats il has been
nv privilege 10 witness, | have never
been able to tell. His turning the
crab" and other minor dislocations,
we're always attended with success. II
was not an unusual sight at any hour OF
the day TO find Melons suspended on n
line, or to see his venerable head APP
pearing above the ro0fs OF the out
houses. Melons knew the exact hight
Of every fence in the vicinity, its facili-
ties for scaling, and the possibility Of
seizure on the other side. His more
peaceful and quieter amusements con-
sisted in dragging disused boiler by q
large string, with hideous outcries, 10
imaginary fires, Melons was not grega-
rious in his habits.
A few youths Of his own age sometimes
called upon him, but they eventually
became abusive, and their visits were
more strictly predatory ineursions for
old bottles and junk, which formed the
staple of McGinnis court. Overcome
by loneliness one day, Melons inyeigled
a blind harper into the court. For two
hours did that wretched man prosecute
his unhallowed calling, unrecompensed,
and going round and round the court
apparently under the impression that II
was some other place, while Melons sur
veyed him from an adjoining fence with
calm satisfaction. 1t was the absence OF
conscientious motives that brought Mel
ons into disrepute with his aristocratic
neighbors. Orders were issued that no
child of wealthy aad pious parentage
should play with him. This mandate, as
matter Of course, invested Melons with
a fascinating interest to them. Admiring
Chances were cast at Melons from nursery
windows. Baby fingers beckoned to
him. Invitations to tea ION wood and
pewter were lisped to him from aristo-
cratic back yards. 1t was evident he
was looked upon as a pure and noble
being, untrammeled by the convention
alities of parentage, and physically as
well as mentally exalted above them.
One afternoon an unusual commotion
prevailed in the vicinity Of McGinnis'
court. Looking from my window / saw
Melons perched on the roof of a stable,
pulling up a rope by which one Tom
N.Y." and infant Scion Of an adjacent
and wealthy house, was suspended in
mid-air. In vain the female relatives
of Tommy, congregated in the back
yard, expostulated with Melons; in vain
the unhappy father shook his fists at
him. Secure in his position, Melons
redoubled his exertions, and at last
landed Tommy on the roof. Then it
was that the humiliating fact was dis
closed that Tommy had been acting in
collision with Melons. He grinned de-
lightedly back at his parents, as if by
merit raised to that bad eminence."
Long before the ladder arrived that was
to succor him he became the sworn
ally of Melons, and regret to say, in
cited by the same audacious boy,
chaffed" his own flesh and blood below
him. He was eventually taken; though,
of course, Melons escaped. But Tommy
was restricted to the window after that,
and the companionship was limited
to Hi, Melons" and you, Tommy"
and Melons, to all practical purposes,
lost him forever. / looked afterward to
see some signs Of sorrow on Melons
part, but in vain; he buried his grief, if
be had any, somewhere in his one vol
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