Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-10-20

night, Ring" said Old Peter, address
ing his dog. ''De signs am all faborable
fer fallin' wedder, en-, eff ! ain t mistaken,
| we's gwine ter git rain, and dat TO-
long; but | low we won't Git much
wet onless il come down pow'ful heb
by. Lissen, Ring, wot's datP 'Peerd
ter me ez ii hearn somebody talkin'.
! Keep yo' sharp eye open, Ring, kaze
dis yere's gwine ter bea moughty fine
night ter hook watermelons. l wish /
didn't hab ter watch dis patch, dat l
duz. Wot's de matter wild yo', RingP
Wot yo' howlin' en- barkin' boutp l
amt gwine ter onchane yo' till it gifts
mo- darker; dar hain't nobody in de
patch now"
"Howdy, Uncle Peter! Damp pros
pee dis ebeninp It's sprinklin' now"
LAW, honey. how you skeerd me.
Dat you, WHIP.
yes" f 4
"Well, now, I wuz a-lookin' out
ober de patch, en- yo' come up from
benin. / notice dat Ring wuz a-makin
fuss; but tho't it wuz bekaze it wuz
a-gitten close onter de time dat turn
him loose"
1t began to rain, and VIII and Mat
thew took advantage of Old Peters
brush-roof
IL guess we'll jes' wait here till it
Stacks up a little" said viii, as they
settled themselves in one corner. 81
think it ill stop presently. Hain't yer
goin' to set up de milyens, Uncle Pc
terp"
"Dat 1 wo'd honey, but rs been out
en- thump EN- all dis afternoon, en- dere
haiE't none er 'em ripe. / sent em all
ober ter town yistiddy, dem wot wuz
ripe"
Il hab ct 'em wen dey wasn't jes
dezactly ripe"
"Moughty unhealthy, said Old Peter
"Dey tell me dat de colry is gttin bout,
en- green watermilyen am uncommon
bad fer de colry."
They sat and talked until the rain had
ceased. but the sky was still overcast
with clouds, and the night was very
dark.
''Ole Dan Tanner, ober on de Ridge,
he's got mighty fine milyen patch"
said Will. "Ice-cream en- rattlesnake
watermilyens, en- some err de finest can
talopes en- nutmegs dat l eber seed"
Dem isnice," said Old Peter. ''Dar
hain't muffin much better dan good
cantalope er a nutmeg"
''Hain't you plant none err dem ar P"
eyes, few, few, but dey is green
yit."
sole Dan, he's nifty mean old cree
ter. I'd like to go ODER dar en- hook
some er his milyens. He's got more'n
he kin sell, en- dey are 'jes rottin' on de
vines. Mat, les me en- you CO."
''Ye don't git dis chile away ober dar
ter-night, yer kin bet on dat"
''Tell We wot, Uncle Peter, you's
young en- peert yit. S'pose you 60"
claw honey! wot wo'd de folks sayp
Me a-habin' a watermilyen patch, en-
a-goin' en- a-hooken' yuther pe'ples?"
"De folks hain't gwine ter know
nuthin' bout it. Ye see, Ole Dams got
moren'n he kin sell. You kin sell all
yourn, en- it wo'd be good thing ter
go ODER en- git some er Ole Dams, ter
keep 'em from sp'ilin on de vines"
EFF we want ter 60, Uncle Peter"
said Matthew, '"Pll stay en- keep yer
patch till we come back"
Old Peter was very fond of melons, |
but it is doubtful if he had tasted one |
that season, for he was too stingy to |
eat any of his own, and therefore it did |
not take much more persuasion to in
duce him to 90. So, leaving Ring tied,
lest he should follow them, and Mat
thew in charge of the patch, they started.
81 hain't nebber been ober ter Mr..
Tanners place." said Old Peter. "Fac'
is. l hain't been ODER onter de Ridge t
all since las year, so I'll jes' let you
take de lead" Ir
"All right ~ said Will. "We won't
foller de road. Wen jes' take de Dutch
cut, en- GO cross lots
"Law ~ said Uncle Peter, as he STUN
bled over a log, 'did ye ever see SIGH
dark night ez dis yero? Peers ter me
ez eff we're takin' kinder roundabout
Eyes, said viii, 1--WE skips de worst
part oh de hill dis way"
They walked on for some time in
silence Old Peter was beginning to
regret that he had come, for the dis
lance seemed greater than he had sup
posed, and he feared Matthew might
not be diligent in watching the patch.
"Here we is" cried Will, at last.
Creep right up through desc bushes,
en- git ODER de fence. Don't make q
noise, kaze dey say Ole Dan keeps a
gum"
Don't We be afcer'd, chile. Wot We
spect yer Uncle Peter gwinter kick up
! row TO-, wen he's come ter borry err
yatermilyen? Law! hits so dark l
'eckon we'll hab ter feel 'em. Here's
me-" he said, laying hold of large
)ne.
Hadn't we better git ODER de fence
er eat itp"
"No," said Old Peter; "eat it right {
leah in de center oh do match whor |