The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-06-28


One Saturday morning-twas very warm weather.
As our heroine and hero. out walking together,
Came down the road slowly the latter stopped short
As u suddenly struck by stupendous thoughts
And he looked At Miss Muslin and, winking his eye,
Said he: "Yonder lives old Mr.. solomon Sly,
Whom you never have heard OF perhaps-but
know him!
And tits high time paid of grudse that owe
him!
Just over that fence there-the next lot to this,
As happen 10 know, are some melons Of his
Some early musk-melons, of which some at least
Must be ripe before this What say you 20 feast
Twould do no good to ask him, the greedy old
miser,
We will just help ourselves he viii be none the
wiser.
He has probably gone off to market to-day
And won't be home till night-Comel Ill show you
the way!"
SO saying Miltiades Peterkin Paul
Assisted Miss Muslin to climb the stone wall
And then, cautiously giving one glance about.
TO be quite certain no one was on the lookout,
He got himself over, and at once led the way
Toward the place where he knew that the melon
patch lay;
And soon having stealthily crossed the first lot,
They arrived-unrerceived, as they thought-at the
But, alas for their fresh-budded hopes for some
ut was either too early, as yet in the season,
Or some one had been there and picked them though
green),
Not a single ripe melon, at first, could be seen.
swell |" Miltiades grumbled, "as sure as a gun
lie has picked all the ripe ones, and not left us
eyes" responded Miss Muslin, of Quintillion
" Some folks are too stingy to lire, declarer'
But, at that instant 10 with a cry of delight
Miitiades suddenly held up to sight
melon 80 ripe and so yellow, like gold. it
Made Miss MuslIn's eyes fairly dance to behold it.
" Ho, no !" cried Miltiades Peterkin Paul,
" The old gentleman did leave us one, after all
And luscious one tits, too! Why, look Don't
you see?
He has tapped ia sure sign tits ripe as can be.
And, with these words our hero, without more
ado
Took his four-bladed jack-knife and cut it in two.
Then, Miss Muslin receiving her half with delight,
They each of them eagerly took huge bite,
But the next instant jumped up together, and, ut
tering
A cry of dismay, began splitting and suffering
While the tears filled their eyes. Poor Miss Muslin
screamed " Murder ~
SO loud that the Man in the Moon might have heard
Why" cried she, ait tastes just like hot Goals
Oh! Oil OIL"
While Miltiades' throat and his mouth smarted SO
Gle had swallowed dreadful big mouthfuD, tina
Could not utter word. And just then-o, deal
me!
They heard a low growing and then Uncle Sol,
With his awful dog rowser, jumped over the wall
You're as precious pair as ever heard tel
on !"
Cried he, swell, 1 hope you're enjoying the melon
l seasoned that one just as strong as could
With fresh Cayenne pepper 1T ought to be good.
You don't seem TO find it, though quite to you
taste.
What is that? Had enough p But can't hav
such waste:
You will finish that melon, sir That's what your
do
Or I'll let go old Towser and make him eat youi'
said.
And with Towser there, showing each tooth in hi
They'd no choice but obey him and eat up tn
rest
| Though twas no easy matter, ii must be con
fessed.
Then Uncle Sol grimly bowed, when they ha
done,
And dismissed them. And, smarting in more way
than one,
They took their way home like pair of youn
feons
And don't think they ever stole any more melons
John BrOunjoha, in July Vide Awake