The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-10-25

night ter hook watermelonss 1 Wish9I
didn't hab ter watch dis patch, dat I
duz. Wot's~de matter wild yo', Ring?
Wot yo' howlin' EN- barkinf bout? |
amt gwine ter onchane yo' till it gifts
mo darker; dar hain't nobody in de
patch now.n S&AsfStA&fff3 ss
"HowdY, Uncle Peterl Damp pros
pee dis ebenin? It's sprinklin' now"
Law, honey, how you skeerd me.
Dat you, WHIP
"Yes." - #agaEx' 17ii 1tif 10
"Well, now, I wuz a-lookin' ont
ober de patch, en- yo' come up from
benin. notice dat Ring WIZ a-makin
fuss; but tho't it wuz bekaze it wuz
a-gitten' close onter de time dat turn
him loose y
1t began to rain, and VIII and Mat
thew took advantage of Old Peters
brush-roof
Il guess we'n ies' wait here till It
slacks up a little, said VIII, as thev
settled themselves in one corner. II
think it ill stop presently Hain't yer
goin' to set up de milyens, Uncle Pc
ter?''
''Dat | wo'd honey, but rs been out
en- thump em all dis AFTERNOON, en- dere
hain't none er .em ripe. sent 'em all
ober ter town yistiddy. dem wot wuz
ripe 49,.
scI hab cit 'em wen dey wasn't jes
dezactly ripe"
''Moughty unhealthy, said Old Peter.
"Dey tell me dat de colry is gittin 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, md the night was very
dark.
''Ole Dan Tanner, ober on de Ridge.
he's got a mighty fine milyen patch, ;"
said Will. ''Ice-cream en- rattlesnake
watermilyens, en- some er de finest can
talopes en- nutmegs dat l eber. seed
Dem isnice, saidOld Peter. fsDar
hain't muffin much better dan good
cantalope er a, nutmeg. .
''Hain't you plant none er dem ar ?''
Eyes, few, few, but dey is green
sole Dam. he's a mi 'ty mean old cree
ter. I'd like to go ober dar en- hook
some er his milyens. He's got.more'n
he kin sell, en- dey are 'ies rottin' on de
vines. Mat, les me en- you go.
"Ye don't git dis chile away ober dar
ter-night, yer kin bet, on dat. 80 fasg
"Tell ye wot, Uncle Peter, you's
young en- peert yit. S'pose you go
Law honey! wot wo' d de folks say?
Me a-habin' watermiIyen patch, en-
a-goin' en- a-hooken' yuther pc 'ples?"
"De folks hain't gwine ter, know
nuthih' bout it. Ye see, Ole Dams got
moren'n hegkin sell. You Kin sell all
yourn, en- it wo'd be good thing ter
60 ober en- git some er Ole Dams, ter
keep 'em from sp'ilin' on de vines. " g
EFF ye want ter go, Uncle Peter"
said Matthew, '1'll stay en- keep yer
patch till ye come back. y -s.e,Is
Old Peter was very fond of melons,
bt1tsit is doubtful if he had lasted 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
duee him to CO.. So, leaving Ring tied,
lest he should follow them, and Mat
thew in charge of the patch, they, started.
81 haint nebber been ober ter-Bfr.
Tanners place, ''ssaid Old sPetef3. "Fac'
is. | hain't been ober onter de Ridge t
all since las year, so I'll jes' let you
take de lead "
''All right r'-said VIII. ave won't
follerde road. We'll ies' take de Dutch
cut, en- go cross lots, =
'.Law y said Uncle Peter, as he stum-,
bled over a log, "did We ever see sich a
dark night ez dis yeree Peers ter me
ez eff we're takin' a kinder roundabout
course
dyes Trsaid VIII, i've skips ID, de e worst St
part OBJ 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
tance seemed greater than he had sup
posed, and he feared Matthew might
not be diligent in watching the patch
"Here we is, cried Win, at last.
''Creep right up through desc bushes.
en-, git ober de fence. Don't make a
noise, kaze dey say Ole Dan keeps a
gum"
Don't We be afeer'd, chile. Wot We
'spect yer Uncle Peter gwinter kick up
a row fo' wien he's come ter borry er
watermilyenp Law! hits so dark |
reckon vel hab ter feel 1em. Here's
one, he said. laying hold of large
one. ~ &stsA%
Hadn't we better git eber de fence
ter eat it?" - 50
'.No. said Old Peters '.eat it right
heah, in de center OBJ de patch, whar
Ole Dan kin see de rims indie naernin',
SOS he won't think hit took legs en-
walk off hitse' f-kase dot mought skeer
him. Wen ies' eat de heart outen it.
en- den swe'ln git another -kaze, yer
know, wewanter keep jes' ez menny'
er Tanner millyens from sp'ilin' 1--WE
kim"
Here's another, cried Will; zen
here's three er fo' nutmegs = rn~ ~
'tAll right, Willie. Let yer Uncle
Pete caryeSem. Z Yer AUncle Peter am
a ole ham at de business. He knows
how ter gettat der heart er de water
milyen, en- how ter slice de mus milyen
in de bes' fashion, -
After they had eaten all they could
win proposed to 90. 'ssS>'
'.Wait till we SOUS sh de green ones,'
said Old Peter.
's0h, no, - said VIII; .le's not do
dat