Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-27
MARCUS Won /"
His Experience with a Certain Kind oi
Fancy Fruit.


Written for the RECORD USIoY.I
A few years ago the Japanese persimmon
was brought to our notice as the coming
fruit wonder. Fruit. growers became in
fatuated with the stories of its wonderful
qualities. Trees sold by thousands. l,
like most of other fruit men, was pur.
chaser. How the trees crew. Great,
shining, bright-green leaves through which
the sunbeams chase the dancing shadows.
And the fruit they're just now in bearing)
masses of gold and bronze, rivaling the
most glorious sunset shining through the
broad, thick-clustered leaves. The fruit
began to fall off yesterday in its "luscious
ripeness" speaking after the manner of
fruit men. 0Le of neighbor Gilbert's
trespassing hogs came along -one of those
epitomes of chronic hunger-mere out
line of bones, that flea would desert for
velocipede, with three feet length
OF snout, bow backed, but with no appre-
ciable length of body. He saw the per-
simmons, swallowed one whole, and bit
second one, then started for home. His
back began to arch higher, his body short
ened to still more insignificant length, his
nose struck the ground, and he sat down
in the dust and mosned with pain. /
watched him till dark, gripping, moaning,
and wiping tears from his poor sunken eyes
with truly human appearance OF suffer-
ing went to bed thinking how like our
selves in their expressions Of pain are ma
ture's humble creatures. After short
sleep / was awakened and startled by two
human voices exercised to their fullest
power in the expression of agony. Idonned
my clothes and ran out into the brilliant
moonlight. Down in the evergreen avenue
were couple of urchins who had come to
make raid upon my fruit, but, for.
tunately for me, had begun on
the persimmons. They were writhing on
the ground and making more noise than a
band of Sioux Indians in scalp dance. l
waited and watched just out of sight be.
hind the evergreens. In few moments |
saw light at Parson Comitonum's, who
lives just beyond my orchard. The next
moment heard the thud, thud of the par.
sons big bare feet coming down the ave-
nue.. In a moment more he appeared, his
flowing night.robe trailing four inches be.
low his waistband. "My children, what
is the matter?" said he. "We've eaten
of that fruit and are dying!" came the an.
swer, half spoken, haH whistled. "Oh,
my children ! you shouldn't have come in
the night to surreptitiously purloin the
mans fruit" "Would you have had us
ask him for it Would you have US take
it as gift from him, the scoffing unbe-
lever that he iss" .sN.n.o; you acted
from a right principle" Just then
spring wagon drove up, the approach of
,ryt,f fob boI ~ Ioo L.,
Brother Robin alighted, heard explana.
tions and then, in voice that sounded half
way between the sound of the filing of
saw and the squealing of a pig, he said
"My dear children, whatever may be your
slight indiscretion in this, tbs nothing COM
pared with the deep sin Of this scoffer.
Look at this gorgeous, golden fruit 'Tis
all Haunting lie. It's taste is death. I'm
sick and nervous repenting of Marcus
Wons many sins, of which this is the
most diabolical." During this peroration
the youngsters, down on all.fours, had
filled their mouths with dry dirt, which
seemed to allay their sufferings, and they
were quietly placed in Deacon R. spring
wagon and hauled away, while I silently
and unseen made my way back to my dark
room and bed.
The next morning while eating break
fast, stylish carriage drove up. Two gen.
tlemen alighted, and introduced themselves
as committee from the "Men. do.sin oh !
Fruit Growers Association. had heard
of their association before. Had heard
how on certain occasion their society had
been unable to decide whether some fruits
offered for their inspection were extra large
apples or small pumpkins, till they sub
mitted them to cow in an adjoining field.
l had high regard for men thus fertile in
expedients. This committee on behalf Of
their society wished to know all about
Japanese persimmons. I took them in
to the orchard, and gave them of the
fruit TO eat They tasted it, then sprang
through the fence of the pasture adjoining,
to the great destruction of barbs, wire and
staples, and down on hands and knees
clawed for, and frantically chewed, dog
fennel, May weed, jimson weed-anything
to take the taste out of their mouths. As
l looked upon them l saw that they both
held their mouths in shape to whistle, but
they neither whistled nor spoke, but quiet.
ly got into their carriage and left. I've
not seen their report. Should it prove
valuable document, I'll obtain copy for
publication. MARCUS Won.
Sanders, Cal.