The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-11-03

i
Law, honey: how you skeerd me.
Dat you, Will?"
Yes
swell, now, / 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 wrz
a-gitten' close onter de time dat turn
him loose
1t began to rain, and Will and Mat
thew took advantage of Old Peter
brush-roof
Il guess wen jcs' wait here till It
Stacks up little" said VIII, as they
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 EN- all dis afternoon, en- dere
hain't none er 'em ripe. / sent 'em all
ober ter town yistiddy, dem wot wuz
ripe"
II hab ct 'em wen dey wasn't jes
dezactly ripe"
'.Moughty unhealthy, said Old Peter.
"Dey tell me dat de CORY is gittin bout.
en- a 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, obcr on de Ridge,
he's got a mighty fine milyen patch, y
said Will. ''Ice-cream en- rattlesnake
watermilyens, en- some err de finest can
talopes en- nutmegs dat eber seed"
!" Dem isnice, - said Old Peter. "Dar
hain't muffin much better dan a good
cantalope or nutmeg" g
"Hain't you plant none er dem ar Pr
Eyes, q few. a few, but dey is green
yit."
''Ole Dan, he's nifty mean old cree
ter. I'd like to go ober dar en- hook
some err his milyens. He's got more n
he kin sell, en- dey are 'jcs rottin' on de
vines. Mat, les me en- you co.
eye 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 CO."
Law honey! wot wo'd de ks say?
Me a-hsbin' watermilyen patch, en-
a-goin' en- a-hooken' yuther pc '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 ober en- git some er Ole Dams, ter
keep 'em from sp'ilin' on de vines"
'.Ef We want ter go, Uncle Peter"
said Matthew, IN 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 60. So, leaving Ring tied,
lest he should follow them, and Mat
thew in charge of the patch, they started.
II hain't nebber been ober ter Mr..
Tanners place" said Old Peter. Fac
is, hain't been ober onter de Ridge t
all since las year. SO I'll jes' let you
take de lead."
IAN right ~ said viii. eve won't
foller de road. Wen jes' take de Dutch
cut, en- go cross lots. -
'Lawr' said Uncle Peter, rs he stum-
bled over a log, Ibid We ever see SIGH
dark night ez dis yere? Peers ter me
ez ef we're takin' kinder roundabout
course"
Eyes, said VIII, 1--WE skips de worst
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
lance seemed greater than he had sup
posed, and he feared Matthew might
not be diligent in watching the patch.
s.Here we isl 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
gum
Don't ye be afeer'd, chile. Wot We
'spect yer Uncle Peter gwiuter kick up
q row TO-, wen he's come ter berry er
watermilyen? Law! hits so dark
reckon wen hab ter feel 'em. Here's
one" he said, laying hold of large
one.
Hadn't we better git ober de fence
ter eat it?''
.sNo." said Old Peter; 'seat it right
heah, in de center OBJ 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 jes' eat de heart outen it.
en- den wen git another-kaze, yer
know, we wanter keep jes' ez menny
or Tanners millyens from sp'ilin' ez we
kim"
Here's another" cried Win; zen
here's three or TO- nutmegs."
''All right, Willie. Let yer Uncle
Pete carve 'em. Yer Uncle Peter am
a ole ham ut de business. He knows
how ter get at der heart cr de water
milyen, en- how ter slice de mus milyen
in de bes' fashion"
After they had eaten all they could
Will proposed to go.
wait till we squ'sh de green Ones"
said Old Peter.
"Oh, no." said Will; lies not do
dat
.sOh, yes," said Old Peter, as he
CROPPED about in the dark, hunting for
the melons, and MASKING them with his