Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-10-05

Longings for Watermelon Lead Tyy
Boys to Outw1t Each Other.

Longings for Watermelon Lead Two
Boys to Outwit Each other.
From the Arkansaw Travelerl
s'I don't think that I ever committed a
marked Judge Brown, one of the best known
jurists of Arkansas. thinking of this
brings up something that occurred when l
was boy. My father was the finest
watermelon grower in the country Melon
culture was his delight. 1 particularly re-
member one crop. Just before the melons
began to get ripe my father called Black
Bill and me and said: L want you boys
to understand one thing. If one of my
melons is stolen I am going to measure
the tracks that I find in the patch and
then measure feet, and the owner of the
feet that correspond with the tracks shall
get whipping that he can never forget
See this hickory? pointing to a long and
cruel looking switch which he had placed
above the dining room door. We'll, if eth
er of you wants to catch this switch pitch
in Bill shook his head and muttered that
he didn't want it; that he would rather be
killed by steer (old Buck few weeks be-
fore had thrown Bill against a tree and
knocked off the bark than to be cut to
pieces with such SWITCH and [ assured my
he might rest i'll peace. Bill was the only
negro we had, and although he was COM
PEELED to go to church every Sunday, riding
on the seat behind the buggy, and although
he sat in the buggy during services, and
without effort could hear every word of the
sermon, yet that boy with all his careful
training was inclined to be a thief.
1.-THE next day after the proclamation was
issued I went out and looked at the me On
patch. There, lying in the sun, striped and
tempting, lay a beautiful melon. All, if
there were anything that could make a south
ern boy forget honor it was watermelon.
I trembled, for knew that could not pre-
vent myself from stealing it; and then that
awful switch came up before me. An idea
struck me. I went to the house, stole into
the cabin and got Bills shoes. What an
enormous foot the rascal had! The shoes
were so large that they would not stay on
my feet, but overcame this great drawback
by stufing them with grass. 1 slipped
around and entered the patch from a locust
thicket. A rain had fallen the day before
and 1 made decided tracks in the level
ground. 1 got the melon, stole back to the
thicket and, although it was not ripe, l ate
more than half of it. Then 1 returned Bills
shoes. That afternoon while Bill and L were
in the yard l saw my father, carefully carry
ing small stick, enter the gate. His face
wore an unusually stern expression and saw
that there was something wrong.
't'I don't think that much measuring is
needed on this occasion, said he, glancing at
the stick. Bill, where are your shoess'
Ct In de cabin, ~sah.'
" Bring them here
''He brought the shoes. The old gentle
man applied the measure and said: Fresh
dirt on them I see.'
+ "BilPs face became study. 'Doan know
how it come on dar, marster. Amt wore
'em sense last Sunday
''' Yes, that's all right, john turning to
me, fetch me that switch My heart smote
me. but I brought the switch. Then Bill
began to dance. l never did see fellow get
himself into SO many different shapes, and
it seemed that every shape was better suited
to the switch. 1 had to snort. l couldn't
help it. l kept out of Bills way as much as
possible, for he seemed to look reproachfully
at me, but he did not accuse me of deliver
ing him up to the enemy, and l had begun
to persuade myself that Bill had stolen the
melon, when two days Later l came to grief.
Bill and were again in the yard when my
father entered the gate, carrying small
stick. john said he as he approached,
where are your shoese
" In the house, sir
"tBring them here
81 got my shoes. Great Caesar! there was
fresh soil on them. Come on, come on,
said the old gentleman. 1 handed him one
shoe and dropped the other one. BILL said
he, after measuring the shoe, bring me that
switch Bill bounded with delight and
brought the switch.
"'Pap', cried, please don't whip me;
amt done nuthin'-Oh-'
81 danced, capered and met the switch
at every turn. In my agony caught sigh
of Bill standing at the corner of the house
and snorting like glandered horse. Bill
kept out of my way, but that evening I met
him and asked:
"sBill, how did you wear my shoes!'
"'How did yer war mine?
"'Put grass in 'em.'
"'Wali, 1 tuck Ell par er short stills an
put yer shoes on de ends O. 'em. Reckon
we'se erbout even now. Oh, 1 tell yeI
whut's er fack, John, it won't do ter foo
wild me, case Use one O. de 'n'inted by de
saints"