The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-10-29
THE COLORED MAN.

THE COLoRED MAN.
Ills Passionate Alteration for the watsrnslo.,
and His Ways of Securing the Fr.it.
As the 'possum is the negros favor.
ite bird, so is the watermelon his fa-
vorite vegetable. It is to him the Mec-
ca OF epicurean philosophy and he re.
turns to it each year with undimmed
rapture. Its glossy green holds his
i eye captive and it's carmine intestines
and black studs magnetic not only
the obese lips that are his glory, but
carry in their victor train, cuspid bis
cuspid, molar, and incisor. The cry
OF watermelon! Watermelon" can
arouse him from the deepest slumber.
Sugar-cane may tempt in its season,
the peanut draw on his hoard OF
wealth at times, but his all-absorbing
passion is for the watermelon. He
dreams OF it all the year, and when
the harvest-time draws near he will
even work to win 1t. Can self.sacri-
flee go further than that?
In the matter OF Sambo vs.. water.
melon the latter might as we'll plead
non vult contendere at once, for Sam
bo is an eater from Eaterville county
way back. He can put himself out
side OF a forty pound melon in half as
many minutes and leave nothing but
very thin green shell as relic OF The
battle
1t is fun to watch him when the first
, melons OF the season arrive-at river
towns especially, where the fruit is
brought by boat. He can scent the
coming vessel afar off, and is the first
| at the landing to greet the captain
with all the honors. How his eyes
glisten as he sees the green beauties
in the vessels hold! His lips work
| convulsively, his voice is husky with
suppressed emotion. Now comes the
dicker.
cap, wha' yo' ewineter gimme to
help unload dem millyuns?"
'"Ten cents an hour"
"Golly, on'y er dime to tote all desc
yere miliyuns?"
No answer.
"Well, l specs 1 mout as well do
hit. | amt gwinter be very busy dish
mawnin'" " for a brilliant idea has
struck him, and down into the ehold he
goes. He has carried out twenty-five
fine fellows, and carefully placed them
in the appointed corner. Watch hlm
now. He is slowly coming up ths
plank with a magnificent melon in his
arms. Isn't it a beauty. 1. must
weigh over fifty pounds. AS ne steps
upon the warf his foot slips, and down
goes the melon. 1t splits half in two.
The wrath OF the Captain is extreme,
as he shouts to luckless Sambo who is
gazing in impossible contrition at the
fallen luxury: "You black, blank
pot-liquor niger, I've good mind to
break your blank head, blank, blank
you. Now git. You kin take that
melon, and don't let me ketch you
around here again" Negro and mel
on disappear Behind a Pile OF shingles.
Now Sambo would not exchange with
the King on his throne. He cuts of
great long slices and runs them
through his lips as if he were playing
upon the mouth-organ. He stops not
for seeds; life is too short for
that. | little while suffices. 1t
is all gone. The Tapping of
the waves against the docks is like
Eolian music to his ears. A vagrant
dog snutfs at hlm curiously; he merely
remarks, "G'way f'om DER" bnt does
not move. His eyes gradually close,
and soon a well. authenticated snoring
tells that he is in the land of dreams.
The melon of his heart is not the
boughten melon, however. nor yet the
one that is given to him. 1t is the
melon that has not yet been plucked
from the vine. So he proceeds togath.
er his share OF itin. He selects about
10 to / l p. m. as the time, and gener-
ally goes alone. He cautiously skirts
the field first, to see if any one is in
the skirmishing line. Finding no pick
cts out in the shape of specimens Of
the canine race he lightly Chambers
over the fence and is in the Garden OF
Eden. He can tell the ripe from the
unripe with an almost certainty OF
touch. If he does make mistake he
cares nothing for it. There is nothing
small about Sambo, and to obtain
one perfect one he will break twenty
Others without pang. Sambo rare
ly eats the melon in the field
where he obtains it. He gen
orally retires and devours it along the
roadside, "to hab de law on his
side,' as he sagely remarks. He rare
ly takes q melon home. Cause why?
He amt ''gwine ter ou'age de chill
len in the stealen'" He is very
thoughtful in his paternal and family
relations. AS he very truly remarks:
"Ef de ole 'oman want one shc knows
whar ter git hit.'
Somewhere IN the white sand by the
solemn sea there grows melon called
the pinemelon. 1t is harder than the
way OF the transgressor and unfit for
any purpose that know of. A friend
of mine who keeps q place where the
worm that never dieth is given a To-
cal habitation and q name had one
given unto him and he placed it at
his front door. Itwas about month
before the most adventurous melon
could possibly hope to get ripe. OF
course, it attracted an immense
crowd, with Africans largely In the
majority. They gazed at it with re-
spectful awe, mingled with wistful
alteration. They patted it on the
back and patted it with trembling
hands. They talked to it and to
each other. "What you doin' dar,
melon; don you know tain't yo' sun
up yit?" "Lawd bless my soul! don
wish Ihad imp" AT nightfall, when
my friend went to take it in, it was
gone. What tableau it must have
been when the captor put knife to his
prize!
Ways of Prima Donnas.
| Pauline Lucca, Baroness Won Wall.