The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-10-25
OLD PETER GREENS WATERMEL.
ONS.

.
1t was commonly supposed in the
neighborhood that old Peter Green was
not SO honest as he might have been.
Whenever any of the neighbors missed
q roll of butter, a chicken or a little
corn, it was not unusual to hear some
one remark: 4isst e4@
Il suspect Old Peter Green knows
something about it"
If Old Peter was asked his opinion as
to who the thief could be, he would re-
ply:
Il do'no, I'm. sho'. 'Tain't fer me
ter say; but / 'pect it wuz some nigger,
enI want yer ter understan' dat nigger
don't alus mean black pe'ple neider, ez
ye'll fine out eff ye look in yer dicshun-
aIy.''s - 3~tsT g
Old Peter attended a watermelon
patch one season, and was indefatigable
in his attention to it. Day and night
found him at his post, under a shelter
that he had built of brush to keep oft
the sun and rain, armed with an old
gun, with which he was so dexterous as
to be able to shoot black-bird on the
wing. -~. -,
This feat always greatly astonfshed
one OF his boy friends, who used. to
borrow the cid gun and practice with
1t at mark on the barn-door; but he
was never able to hit the mark, and
often missed the door. - >.
twas Old Peters dexterity with this
gun and the known fierceness of his
dog Ring that preserved his watermel-
ons and permitted them TO grow and
rlpen unmolested. -
Over on Vinegar Ridge, about two
miles from Old Peters patch, lived
mil and Matthew Black. They had
mad patch themselves the year before
@ Sna at'the time had strongly suspected
oia reter OF having something to do
WIN tne disappearance of some of their
hhest melons, and after the season. was
over had come into the knowledge of
doubt.
"Neber you min, Mat said Will
one DAY. ''Qld Peter he hook our mil
yens yen, las year, en- mebby SOM er his'n
WIN creep off some er desc yere dark
sn,s. ssH5 Iaff
mt don't seem ter me dat wo'd be
les de right way ter do.''
wen, mebby it wouldn't; but, least
ways. 1t don't look ter me like ez eff it.
Wo q be wrong ter take nuff ter nav
year, 80 W Vo0N i"'
DlS yere chile low dat he hain't
S%.ne s;, ter bodder none er Ole Peters
mllyens, kase he don't want no bullet
sswalstlen pas his year, en- no dog toof
U ms leg, We know
Mout watch till Ole Peter GO ter;
sleep" said VIII.
-. reers like ez eff he dom nebber 90
a.. ~ sleep, en- ef he do, Ole Ring he'd be
P;s' Ss' en- yer hain't gwine ter fool Ole
"ug much, lemme tell yer.,'
Mout glib Ole Ring dog-button.. .
meppy some folks is mean, 'nuff ter
E.aea al yuther folkses' dogs. Dis chile
IAN IAN en- he wo' dn't hab no 'sosashun.
wa 20 nigger dat wrz.' . s7ssss
,.n nl' hl, Wh-o-o-pyp, sns
"os de matter wild We nowp''
!, .s ses femme tell yer. rs done tho't
W;I, I1illn dat's amos too good.p' cried
Ge,' Gi' elapping his hands. .I's got a
on las game dat lows Il git away wiia
nlss na then and there he unfolded q
p,sS ,v;,S % oy which they were to get even
any, su va Peter, that met with instant
m;pos S;p.osal by Matthew, and they deter
ass 70 carry it into execution as soon
0lS Saspporabie g opportunity offered
ter = s1er sat under his brush shell
tSs haik heaik clouds were looming up on
ipc A0'i1on, and night was approach
nivh, low o dat we's gwine ter hab a bad
inS Il, nlng, said Old Peter, address
feTtanuog. IN uog. de signs am all faborable
we's .ln wedder, en-, eff ain mistaken.
s"iae ter git rain, and dat fo'