The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-29

mo- darker; dar hain't nobody in de
patch now"
"Howdy, Uncle Peter! Damp pros
pee dis ebenin? It's a sprinklin' now.'
Law, honey: how you skeerd me.
Dat you, WHIP"
Yes"
"Well, now, / wuz a-lookin' out
ober de patch, en- yo' come up from
benin. / notice dat Ring wuz a-makin
q fuss; but tho't it wuz bekaze it wuz
a-gitten close onter de time dat l turn
him loose.
1t began to rain, and VIII and Mat
thew took advantage of Old Peters
brush-roof.
81 guess Wen jes wait here till it
Stacks up a little, said Will, as they
settled themselves in one corner. 81
think it i'll stop presently. Hahn t yer
goin' to set up de milyens, Uncle Pc
! ter?"
"Dat I wo'd honey, but rs been out
en- thump EN- all dis afternoon, en- dere
hain't none er em ripe. | sent 'em all
ODER ter town yistiddy, dem wot wuz
ripe"
Il hab eft '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, and the night was very
dark.
''Ole Dan Tanner, ober on de Ridge,
he's got mighty fine milyep patch, "
said Will. ''Ice-cream en- rattlesnake
watermilyens, en- some er de finest can
talopes en- nutmegs dat l eber seed"
" Dem isnice, y said Old Peter. Oar
hain't muffin much better dan good
cantalope er a nutmeg"
"Hain't you plant none er dem ar P''
Eyes, a few, a few, but dey is green
yit."
''Ole 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 60"
''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 go"
''Law honey! wot wo d de ks say?
Me a-habin' a watermilyen patch, en-
a-goin' en- a-hooken' yuther e'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 a good thing ter
90 ODER en- git some er Ole Dams, ter
keep 'em from spilin' on de vines"
EFF we want ter 90, Uncle Peter"
said Matthew, 'I'll 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, hain't been ODER onter de Ridge t
all since las year, so I'll jes' let you
take de lead"
"All right - said VIII. eve won't
foller de road Well ies take de Dutch
cut, en- 90 cross lots
''Law!' said Uncle Peter, as he STUN
bled over log, "did We ever see SIGH
dark night ez dis yere? Peers ter me
ez eff we're takin' a kinder roundabout
course"
Eyes, said Win, ''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 VIII, at last.
"Creep right up through desc bushes,
en- git ober de fence. Don't make
noise, kaze dey say Ole Dan keeps a
gun"
Don't We be afeer'd, chile Wot We
'spect yer Uncle Peter gwinter kick up
a row fo', Wen he's come ter borry er
watermilyen? Law. hits so dark |
reckon We'll hab ter feel EN-. Here's
one he said, laying hold of a large
one.
Hadn't we better git ODER de fence
ter eat it?"
mo" said Old Peter; ''eat it right
heah, in de center oh de patch, whar
Ole Dan kin see de rims in de mornin',
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 We'll git another-kaze, yer
know, we wanter keep jes' ez menny
er Tanners millyens from sp'ilin' ezwe
kin.
Here's another" cried VIII; zen
here's three er fo' nutmegs."
'All right, Willie. Let yer Uncle
Pete carve 'em. Yer Uncle Peter am
a ole ham at de business. He knows
how ter get at der heart er de water
milyen, en- how ter slice de mus milyen
in de bes' fashion"
After they had eaten all they could
VIII proposed to 90.
"Wait till we sqush de green Ones"
said Old Peter.
ooh, no." said Will; "le's not do
dat"
"Oh, yes" said Old Peter, as he
CROPPED about in the dark, hunting for
the melons, and MASKING them with his
feet; faint no fun eff we don't squ'sh
de green ones. Won't Ole Dan be mad
in de mornin'? He'll jes' want ter tar
de place down"
Then they heard dog bowling and
harkinu