Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-12-28
A MELON MONOPOLY.
Why Dandelion's Shrewd Bargain
Proved Improbable.

The worst enemy OF old Jacob Me
grims' son Dnndelion, could not deny
that he was Il shrewd trader in spite o
his queer name. That name came Il
him in consequence OF the strong liking
OF his mother, pious old colored wo
man, for the book OF Daniel. Tn,
Bible was the object OF her deepest
reverence, but the portion of it which
treated OF Daniel was listened to by her
with holy awe, and what she called
''refrishment of de spirit"
When her friends among the young
white ladies would come to read to her,
which was every few days, she would
say: 'Read in the book OF Dan'l,
honey. 1t sorter uplifts me wen hears
bout dc ravenin' beastesses comm
open mouf tor swaller him, and he lest
ms brave and quiet, as Of dey was yelp-
in tarriers a-barkin' at him. Dollaw
me! de berry fust pusson | 'quire bout
wen / gifts in de golden chariot and
says, Goodbye world gwine ter be
dat same Dan'l."
OF course, with that fervent admira-
tion for the Bible hero, her first son,
after five daughters, was named in rev.
erential memory of him
81 aint denyin' Dan'l aint a good
Scrip,er name,n said old Jacob in his
usual deliberate fashion, "but its sort
OBJ permiscus, aint it, round hercP How
YOU gwine to 'stinguish our Dan'l from
Dan Brown and Dan Higgins and dat
owdacious white trash, Dan Larry?"
You aint got much gumption, ia
cob, said his better-half, with n scorn-
full sniif. my sons got ter be name
Dan'l, but aint gwine TO mix him up
permiscus wild dem rag and bob-tails
Ise gwine ter name him Dan'l-ob-de-
lions den."
"Dellaw me, ole ooman," calculated
Jacob, lifting up his hands in dismay.
"Wot name you call dat? 'Taint no
Christian name at all. No preacher
gwine to baptize him in dat, shore"
We'll, Use got to hab Dan'l and lion
int it." persisted Hannah Jane Me
grims, becoming little uncertain her.
self as to the quality OF the name. "Ef
we is 'bliged to glib up de den. reckon
we kin call him Dan de lion, and no
preacher aint gwine to cut up bout a
plain name like dat"
So that was how Dandelion came by
his wild flower name. A flower Han
nah Jane had never heard of, or doubt
less she would have sowed the seed all
over the garden. She never allowed it
to be abbreviated. One day luckless
visitor addressed the boy as Dandy, and
was requested to depart.
II amt gwine to hab no miscallin' OBJ
Scripter names under dis here ruff"
Hannah Jane said, with angry dignity.
''lt amt manners, and 1t amt Christian
conduct, and Use 'bleeged ter tell you,
Miss White, as how yer room is n heap
better dan yer company"
When Dandeiion was nineteen he was
a shrewd, wiry, wide-awake young fel-
low, and not very scrupulous where his
interests were concerned. He was
darker than his mother, who was a
light mulattress, and fairer than his
father, who was as black as tar, but he
was very unlike his honest, simple
minded parents.
l must say Hannah Jane did her best
TO bring him up properly, and did not
spare the rod, but his wiry little body
used TO slip out OF her grasp, and his
cunning little mind devised thousand
expedients for escaping punishment
Nainly did she hold up before him the
heroism OF her Bible hero, for instead
OF being npifted as he ought 10 have
been, he was apt to Singer irreverently.
I'm 'fraid, sonny, you amt brave"
she said one day, with heavy sigh.
you're skulky, and you can't stand
straight up and tell de troof and shame
de debbil, like Dandelion orter ter
do" His mother spoke truly. He was
not brave, he WIS not honest, but when
worsted, was cunning enough to throw
dust In the eyes OF his antagonists, and
got of skin whole while they were rag
ing In the arena
il had been very bad season for wa
termelons in and around Centreville,
and melons were commodity In which
Dandelion dealt. He had a shackly old
cart and mule. Jim Grow. which was
lean enough and old enough to be
turned out 10 grass, and during tho
melon season from early morning until