Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-03-06

cries.
"Watermillionsl Big ones. little ones
and 'tweens! Watermellions! red, white,
yaller. all kinds and all prices"
But this season old Jacobs melon
patch was failure. There had been a
drought, and the patch was sorry
waste OF yellow vines and leaves, and
not half a dozen melons on it. DAN
delion rode out in the neighborhood to
buy up all the melons for his trade, but
the drought had been as hard on the
farmers fields as in his own patch.
II reckon, Dandelion, you'll not make
much by your melon trade this sea-
son." said Farmer Wharton. There
amt fifty melons 10 be found II you
scour the parish from end to end. Yes,
thar is one place | passed last week,
where the melons is as thick as bristles
on hogs back. But it's too fur for
you TO buy 'em and bring 'em TO town,
and ! don't reckon old Grandad Jimp-
son would sell one. II that old niger
lived near town he'd make a fortune
this summer of his melon-patch. Do
you know he watered his vines all the
time OF the drought"
"Grandad Jimpson, he lives most ten
mile from town, and awful road, !"
Dandelion said. in despairing tone.
Just So" said the farmer laughing.
TOO fur for Jim Crows old bones, and
that shackly cart of yourn. Put melons
out of your mind, boy, and make profit
on the walnuts and pecans you will sell
this fall. There are enough of them all
round here"
But Dandelion could not put the mel
ons out OF his mind. He said nothing to
any one of his intentions but rose at
the dawn OF day, saddled Jim Grow,
and took the road to Grandad Jimp-
sons.
A bad road it was and seldom ira
versed, but Dandelion's keen eyes saw
II was not impossible. For nearly half
n century the old negro had lived on his
out-of-the-way farm with no neighbors,
finding its products ample for his wants,
and that of an elderly daughter, a
widow, who lived with him. Once a
year the pair drove in an old-fashioned
gig to Centreville TO exchange butter
and eggs, feathers and other farm
products, for tobacco and coffee, but
neither showed any disposition to move
their quarters to "a more thickly-settled
neighborhood.
According to the custom Of the coun-
try, Dandelion drew up Jim Crow at
the gate, and without dismounting
called out TO the old man on the porch;
"Mornin', Grandad Jimpson."
The old man Immediately rose, and
hobbled out to the gate, peering curl
ously at the stranger.
"Mornin', jeff" he said. "Yor is jeff
Rice, amt youp You favors him con-
siderablyp"
mo, sir, Use Dandeion, Jacob Me-
grims's SON."
Jacobs son! dellaw me, ] knowed
yer dad when he wasn't knee-high ter
a duck! Light, sonny, and come in dc
house."
Thus permitted, Dandelion dismount-
ed, and followed his host to the single
room the cabin contained
you has seen my darter, Misty, I
reckon" introducing the woman, who
was cardng cotton bats for an old wheel
which stood near her. "Wot did
you come way out here fur, Dande-
lion?"
AS usual the boy could not tell the
truth,
well, / coined ter sec Of you could
spare us some tunnip seed"
81 reckon"
Grandad was not "a free giver, in fact,
rather disposed to miserliness, but he
couldn't refuse few seeds. In burst
of generosity he added:
''I'll gin you a half pint oh fine tun-
nip seed, and I'm gwine ter cut big
watermillion fur you! Jest look at dat
fellar,n rolling an enormous melon from
under the water shelf. "Aint it whop-
per?'
throb, but he thought to himself, "Ef
l 'mires dat million, he'll raise de
price" SO he said, quietly.
"Yes, it's q fine watermillion. but
lawdy, Grandad, you jest oughter see
de millions we gifts in Centreville. You
done heerd about EN-, reckonpn in
quiringly.
ME? don't nebber git no news
from town, 'cept folks passin' by. But
pears ter me heerd man say as how
de million crap failed in Centreville. p"
Dandelion laughed uneasily.
"You jest orter see en- he said.
"But, Grandad, has you made IA good
crap dis year?"
Come out and see emf" the old man
chuckled.
DandeliOn hesitated.
"Well, I'll jest take look" he said.
81 must be gittin' home. fur dad he's
waitin fur de tunnip seed"
But when they reached the melon
patch, what a sight it was! Dark
green, light green, striped yellow and
notified melons, and some OF them
enormous. Dandelion's very soul burn
ed within him at the sight of these
treasures, but he strove to speak in
differently.
Use seen better, and Use seen wuss,"
he said. but, Grandad, wot fur you
plant all dem watcrmillions wen you
can't sell once You can't begin ter
eat EN-"
The old fellow laughed.
"Dat's jest wot does. sonny. Not
raw, but we biles dem down to sirop,
and ] kin tell you wAtermillion sirop is
monstous fine sweetenin'."
Dandelion's spirits sank. Here was Il
hitch he had never contemplated. II
use was made OF the me ons, his chance
OF specializing on them were very
small. But he did not despair
Reckon you got fifty ripe onesp' he