Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-19
FUSS IN THE MELON PATCH.
A Farmer site Up ut Night Loaded Fol
Boys and Makee . Discovery.

A Farmer site Up ut Night Loaded For
Boys and Makes Discovery.
Mr.. Tanning, Of Scott Hill, Conn.,, has .
field Of notably fine muskmelons, and no
also has cat, the pet OF the household,
was not aware just how much that cat
knew. until one night this week, when her
veiled intelligence was disclosed through
the medium OF uskmelons. The farmer
is very careful Of the melon patch, and has
spent most Of his leisure ct time me, this season
Nevertheless, an unknown inarauder At
night constantly defeated his vigilance.
In the cleaning Mr.. Tanning visited the
melon patch for farewell inspection of
the luscioas fruit, and every melon was
largest and hest OF them had been de-
spoiled. They were torn to pieces and the
contents had been sco0ped out.
Tanning then sat mp at night near his
melons. n double-b -barrelled shotgun, loaded
with salt, across his knees, for he firmly
At the bottom OF the thievery, and he knew
that charge Of salt, while II might take
some of the freshness out Of the young
sters, was not apt to result In coroner's
inquest. But his vigil was futile. The
thief came just the same, and partly de-
spoiled three or four fine melons yet he
had seen neither hide nor hair Of creature.
Mr.. Tanning then began 10 believe that
poblins. perhaps. were the nocturnal WIS.,
itors, though he did not recollect ever read
ing an instance in which those shadowy
chsps had manifested fondness for musk
melons or any other melons. He decided
I spend still another night In the patch,
however; to lie low on the ground this
time, aud his stratagem was successful.
"At about midnight said Mr.. Tanning
in describing the msadventure afterward,
"that big black cat Of mine came crouching
u Htpn l.tA
you'll believe me, slid over the stone wall
like shadow, and without making sound
or showing more than an inch of her back
bone above the vines, cut right out into
the middle of the patch. Then she looked
round, but was lying low and looking
ing nothing to alarm her, she pitched right
into one of the biggest and ripest melons
in the hull lot. She went at 1t like profess
sional, clawed the rind off in wink of yer
eye, and then sunk her teeth into the pulp.
could hear her chawing away at It and
as the juice trickled down her throat.
When she got through with one melon she
went for another, and she seemed to know
q ripe melon every time from green one,
derned sight better'n do. Talk about
gall Well, 1t was the gall Of the thing
long. and had to let it out. Jerusalem
but she slid out of that lot instanter,
AS soon as she heard me laugh. What
did I do? Well, what could / dof /
couldn't kill the old critter, yer know,
thought too much of her. and besides /
wasn't loaded for cat. Salts no good for
Knocking over cats. But after that little
experience I shut thu old cat up In the corn
house nights, aha I don't miss any more
melons now"
Mr.. Tanning has now learned that his
black cat Is fond not only of muskmelons
and watermelons but of all kinds Of fruit.
She eats apples, pears, and grapes groedily,
and any kind Of nuts whose shell she can
crack with her teeth.