News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-11-25
THE WATERMELON STORY.
Judge Brown Tells it and How He Was n
Victim.

NV father was the finest water melon
grower in the country. Melon culture
was his delight. particularly remem
Der one crop. Just before the melons
began to get ripe my father called Black
Bill and me and said: Il want you boys
to understand one thing. If one of my
melons is stolen | am going to measure
the tracks that | find in the patch anC
! then measure feet, and the owner of the
feet that correspond with the tracks
shall get a whipping that he can never
forget. See this hickory" pointing tc
long and cruel looking switch which
he had placed above the dining-room
door. "Well if either of you wants tc
catch this switch pitch in" Bill shook
| his head and muttered that he didn't
want it; that he would rather be killed
by a steer (old Buck a few weeks before
had thrown Bill against tree and
knocked off the bark than to be cut tc
| pieces with such switch; and | assured
my stern parent that so far as | was con
cerned he might rest in peace Bill wa:
the only negro we had, and although he
was compelled to go to church every
Sunday, riding on the seat behind the
buggy, and although he sat in the buggy
! during the services, and without effort
could hear every word of the sermon,
yet that boy with all his careful training
was inclined to be thief.
The next day after the proclamation
| was(ssued | went out and looked at the
melon patch. There, lying in the sun,
striped and tempting, lay beautiful
melon. All, il there were anything that
could make a Southern boy forget honor
it was a watermelon. | trembled, for
knew l could not prevent myself from
stealing it; and then that awful switch
came UP before me. An idea struck me.
| 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 l overcame this great draw
back by stuhing them with grass. I
slipped around and entered the patch
from locust thicket A rain had fallen
the day before and l made decided
tracks in the level ground. l got the
melon, stole back to the thicket, and
although it was not ripe, l ate more
than half of it. Then l returned Bills
shoes. That afternoon while Bill and |
were in the yard saw my father, care
fully carrying q small stick, enter the
gate. His face wore an unusually stern
expression and | saw that there was
something wrong.
81 don't think that much measuring
is needed on this occasion" " said he,
glancing at the stick. bill, where are
your shoes2"
gtTp Il c,Li, col, -
''Bring them here"
He brought the Shoes The old gen
tleman applied the measure and said I:
Fresh dirt on them, see"
Bills face became a study. "Doan
know how 1t come on dar, marster. Amt
wore EN- sense last Sunday"
eyes, that's all right John" turn
ing to me, 'fetch me that switch" " NV
heart smote me, but l brought the
switch. Then Bill began to dance. /
never did see fellow get himself into
so many different shapes, and it seemed
that every shape was better suited to tine
switch. l had to snort. couldn't help
it. / kept out OF BiIl's way as much as
possible, for he seemed to look reproach-
fully at me, but he did not accuse me of
delivering him up to the enemy, and |
had begun to persuade myself that Bill
hid stolen the melon, when two days
later | came to grief. Bill and | were
again in the yard when my father en-
tered the gate, carrying a small stick.
John" said he, as he approached,
''where are your shoesp
Tin the house, sir. ="
''Bring them here"
1 got my shoes. Great Cpsarl there
was fresh soil on them. Come on,
come on" said the old gentleman.
handed him one shoe and dropped the
other one. bill, " said be, after measur-
ing the shoe, "bring me that switch. {"
Bill bounded with delight and brought
the switch
Pap, I cried, ''please don't whip
me; l amt done nuthin'-Oh )
l danced, l capered and I met the
switch at every turn. In my agony |
caught sight of Bill, standing at the
corner of the house and snoIting like a
glandered horse. Bill kept out of my
way, but that evening L met him and
asked:
''BiH, how did you wear my shoes 2"
'How did yer war mine ~
''Put grass in 'em."
"Wall, l tuck er par er short stills
an put yer shoes on de ends O. 'em.
Reckon we'se erbout even now. Oh,
] tell yer whut's er fack, John, 1t don't
do ter fool wild me, case Ise one O. de
'n'inted by de saints"