The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-07
STORY OF A LONG SLEEP.
And the Strange Disappearance Of
Watermelon.

We were all out on the piazza as the
coolest place we could find-my wife.
my sister-in-law and |. The only sounds
that broke the Sabbath stiffness were
the hum of an occasional vagraut bum
blebee or the fragmentary song of a
hooking bird in n neighboring elm,
who lazily trolled a stave of melody
now and then as sample of what he
could do in the cool Of the morning or
after light shower. when the condi-
tons would be favorabl to exertion.
Annie" said /. suppose to relieve
the deadly dullness of the afternoon,
that we go out and pull the big water
melon and send for Col Pemberton's
folks to come over and help Us eat it. -
SIS it ripe yet?" she inquired sleepi-
~. brushing away q troublesome fly
that had impudently settled on her
hair.
Eyes, think 50. was out yester-
day with Julius, and we tfumped it
and concluded it would be fully ripe by
to morrow or next day. But think it
is perfectly safe to pull it to-day"
''Well, if you're sure, dear, We'll go.
But how can we get it up to the house?
It's too big TO tote"
iii step around TO julius cabin and
ask him to go down with the wheelbar-
row and bring it up" replied.
Julius was an elderly colored man
who worked on the plantation and
lived in a small house on the place, a
few rods from my own residence. His
daughter was our cook, and other men,
bers of his family served us in differ
ent capacities
As turned the corner of the house
saw Julius coming up the lane. He
had on his Sunday clothes and was
probably returning from the afternoon
meeting at the Sandy Run Baptist
church. of which he was leading men,
Der and deacon.
Julius" l said, eve are going out
to pull the big watermelon and we
want you to take the wheelbarrow and
go with us and bring it up to the
house"
Does yer reckon dat watermillun's
ripe Wit, sah?' said julius. Didn't
pear ter me it went quite PUNK enuff
yestiddy fer ter be pull befor' ter
morrer."
Il think it is ripe enough, julius"
'Mawning 'ud be a better time fer
ter pull it, sab, wen de night air an
de jews done cool it Off nice"
Probably that's true enough, but
We'll put it on ice and that will cool it,
and I'm afraid if we leave it too long
some one will steal it,
II specs OATS So" said the old man
with confrmatory shake of the head.
Eyer takes chances wen yer pulls it,
en- yer takes chances wen yer dom.
Dey's lot er po' white trash round
heah wat ain none too good fer ter
steal it. I seed some I'm 'em Ioafin'
long de big road on mer way home FUN
chu'ch jes' now. I has ter watch mer
own chicken coop to keep chick'ns huff
fer Sunday eatin'. I'll go en- git do
w 'eelborrow."
As the old man turned 70 go away he
began to limp and put his hand to his
knee with an exclamation Of pain.
What's the matter, Julius?'' asked
my wife.
''Yes. Uncle julius, what ais you?"
ECHOED her sweet young sister. ibid
you stump your toe?'.
No, miss, it's dat mis- able rheumatic.
It kstches me now an. den In de lef'
knee SO can't. hardly draw my BRET.
On, Lawdy." he added between his
clenched teeth. but dat do hurt! Ouch!
It's little better now" he said after
''but doan' b'lieve l kin roll
dat weelborrow out ter de watermillun
patch en- back. Eff it's all de same ter
yo'. sab, I'll 60 roun' ter my house en-
sem Tom ter take my place, w'iles I
rubs some minimum on my lais."
'Thatu be all right, Julius" said,
md the Oldham, hobblinz. disappeared
the corner Of the house. Tom
vas a lubberly, slecpy-looking negro
BOY Of about fifteen. related to julius
wife in some degree and living with
hem.
The old man came back in about five
minutes. He walked slowly and seemed
'cry careful about bearing his weight
IN the afflicted member
Il sent Liza Jane fer to wake Tom
ip," he said Hes down in de orchard
Isleep under tree somewhat. 1t takes
/ minute er SO fer ter wake i'm I'D.
Liza Jane knows how ter do it. She
ickles i'm in dc nose or der yeah wild a
Hollerin' doan' do no
.ood Dat boy is one er de Seben
'leepers- He's wuss'n his gran daddy |
Ised ter be-
WAS his grandfather deep sleeper
Jncle Julius?" asked my wife's sister.
"Oh. vas. Miss Mabel" said Julius,
'ravely. He wuz 4 monst'us pow'ful |
ieeper. He slep' fer mont once"
Dear me, Uncle Julius, you must be
oking," said my sister-in-law. incredu-
ously. / thought she put it mildly.
'Oh. no, ma'an, ain jollin'. never
okes on serious subjec's l wuz derc
zen it all happen. Hit wuz a monst'us
uare thing"
''Sit down, Uncle Julius, and tell ms
bout it," said Mabel, for she dearly
owed a story and spent much of her
inc drawing out" the colored people
q the ncighborhood.
The old man took off his hat and
Gated himself on the top step of the
laz-a- His movements were some
THAT stiff, and he was very careful to
CT has left leg in comfortable po-
ltion.
Toms gran daddy wuz name Skun-
us. he began. He had brudder
anne Iushus en- ernudder name Cottus
ernudder name Squinchus." The
10 man paused 4 moment and gave
Is leg another hitch.
But oz | was a-savinr. dis zero
irllr>flpS l.