Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-28
Old Times.


tel. Right where the Arcadia depot is
now. he had large water melon patch.
When the melons were good and ripe,
Mr.. Van Doren invited all the neigh
bors for miles around-for we ere all
neighbors, as far as we knew any
one-to come on next Wednesday to
eat watermelops. When the day ar
rived every inhabitant for miles
around was there with his wife and
all his children. I remember the
grove on the east of the house, with
its nice, smooth, green grass, the tall
shade trees, with long tables under
meath. the dense shade OF those trees; :;
and such piles of melons-a wagon
load in each pile-built up in tall cones.
Il wish l had a picture Of that scene.)
1t was grand sight. When the bell
rang, all the old, the middle aged, the
young, the boys and girls, came to
those long tables. At the word, all
stood with uncovered heads while the
old grandfather, bis head covered with
locks as white as snow, asked God to
be with this assembled company, and
that we might enjoy the fruits of his
care; that we as neighbors might en-
joy each others society; that we might
take pleasure and comfort in being to-
gether. After the blessing, he invited
all to help themselves and eat all they
wanted: not to be bashful; for, if there
were not enough there, there were plen-
ty more where these came from. "Now,
help yourselvesu' And do you think
the company were slow to obey orders?
AS there had been knives placed all
along the table, each one took knife
and melon. Some stood at the tsble,
some by themselves, seated on the
ground, with big melon between the
knees, some in groups of twos and
threes. Oh, it was nice! After hours
spent in eating and social enjoyment,
the sun in the west warned those that
lived good many miles away it was
time to go.
Just before the company broke up,
Mr.. Van Doren said, ~ want to say a
few words to all present before you
leave" Then he said, II thank each
and every one of you for your company
to-day; 1t has given me great pleasure
to see you all enjoy yourselves SO well,
and now want every man and boy
present to take some of these seeds
home with him, and next year plant
a melon patch; and the one that shall
raise the largest melon shall be presi-
dent of the Arcadia Horticultural So
ciety." Nearly all did as requested.
The next year, when it came time to
plant melons, father said to me, eff
you want to try your luck raising mel
ons, you boys may brake up as much
ground over in that field (pointing to
the spot) as you think you can take
care of. Their is not much manure to
put on the ground. and the land is
very poor; but you know how you did
in Ellington, by the well; perhaps yon
can make them grow as well here,
o..
reference to was, when we moved to
Ellington, to go to school, father bought
lot and house in town. Back Of the
house, well had been dug, just be-
fore we bought the place. Whatcame
out of the well was red shore sand;
nothing green would grow on the sand.
AS l was my mas girl to do house
work, cook, wash, iron, and do all
kinds of house work, could not bear
to see that unsightly spot. One morn
log as was empty ing the tubs after
washing, the thought struck me: 1.-THE
Chinese raise all kinds of things by
feeding the plants with liquid manure.
Why can't II" l got a few melon
seeds and stuck the seeds in the sand,
all around the well. AS soon as the
seeds came up I would put pint of
suds on each plant every evening just
after the sun went down. And how
those vines did grow, aud uch melons
as grew on that sand bank I had new
er seen in that country before.
After the boys had prepared the
ground, planted the seeds. Whi lie
the seeds were coming up / made a
large hopper, just like an esh-hopper,
such as was used to make lye for max
ing soap, near the spring. I hunted
around and gathered up all the manure
could find and filled the hopper as
full as it would hold we'll stamped
down. I then dug hole under the
spout and set barrel in the ground to
catch the liquid as 1t leaked through
the manure in the hopper. Every
morning I would put up the water in
leach; at night, with buckets and a
gourd, I would feed the vines. When
the melons first came up and began to
vine. they were the sickliest looking
things YOU ever saw-the blossoms so
poor and weak they could hardly open
their eyes.
Just at that stage of things Mr..
Van Doren came over to sac how nv
melons were doing. for he had heard /
was going to try for the Presidency.
When he looked over my patch he said.
"I shan't come to you to learn how to
raise melons. You won't have a mel
on fit for pig to eat"
I said, "Mr Won Doren, the Bible
SAYS, let him that taketh the harness
off boast not him that putteth it on '''