The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-29
CARVED THE MELON
LUSCIOUS GEORGIA SACRIFICE Dis
CUssED IN BALTIMORE

1t Was Put on the Altar Of Prohibition and
Joshua Leverine's Friends Were Called
In to Participate-The Purity OF the
Prohibition Party. the Richness of the
Blessings to Come When 1t Shall Pre-
vail, the Growth and Development of
the Party, and the Casting Aside Of the
Saloons all Represented by SYMBOLS.
Baltimore, Nd, July 2s.-With cere-
mony becoming its dignity as the Pride
of Georgia" the huge watermelon which
was sent to Mr.. Joshua Levering, prohi-
bition candidate for president by Mr..
W. N Mitchell, commercial freight
agent of the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road at Atlanta, was yesterday demol-
ished in thee flee Of the cold-water NOM
inee at 102 comemrce street.
First a knife was thrust into its in
wards then the lucious monster was di-
vided into many pieces, and into these
several pieces Mr.. Levering and a num-
Der Of his friends inserted sundry por-
tons Of their countenanceS and pro-
ceeded to enpoy themselves.
The assembly was not laxative. 1t IS
difficult to do two things with the same
organ at the same time.
Word had bene passed around among
Mr.. Levering's business acquaintance
that the melon would be carved at high
noon. The melon had been offered a
haven Thursday afternoon in the Ice
house Of Bosee, Medairy & Co., los South
street. There it had lain all night and
all yesterday morning. When the hour
| of its dissemination arrived its most at
tractive portion was CONCEALED and COW
cred with fragrant frost.
One by one those Who had been sum-
moned to the feast dropped into the Of
| fee. Never a word spake they, but gave
q knowing glance at Mr.. lowering. who
with an elevation Of his chin, signified
| that 'ft' was on the floor above. Then
the visitors filed up stairs.
| The watermelon lay in state upon
! large table, having emerged from the
large basket in which 1t was shipped like
a gorgeous butterfly from its shrysalis
Beside it lay an ominous looking knife
Of ponderous design. The basket, with
its tinselled decora lions, lay to one side
Ia pathetic picture of departed glory.
| Explanations of surprise and ecstatic
anticipation escaped from numerous
1
however, tinged the little group as they
thought of the sacrifice which was about
to be made on the altar of prohibition.
| The nominee entered the room after
his guests. A number of his brothers
and relatives were there to see that the
deed was we'll done
Gentlemen said the romine, ST
| cOnsidr that it is unnecessary to say
anything until after the task which has
been mapped out for us has been COM
pleted."
He seized the knife and plunged it into
| the heart of the Georgian victim The
wound was mot so deep as a well nor
so wide as church door, but twas
! enough. In a few moments the mil
| lion" lay in twenty or more sections, and
| for few moments naught but the voice
OF the cruncher was heard in the land
When all but the green rind and the
seeds-which were white had dispa-
peared, smaller melon, but a shadow
of Its illustrious predecessor, was
brought forth and went the way Of the
| Georgian.
This sequel having bene disposed of, the
nominee. with sigh of content, turned
to his friends and delivered a small
panegyric. He spake thus:
| Mr.. Mitchell of Atlanta in sending
me this melon stated that there was no
product of his adopted state which was
| mora Appropriate as a gift to me, and
In this fully agree with him, and feel
thata moments considera ton Will sug-
gest to you the truth of the remark.
In the first place. the witness which
you see is typical of the purity of the
party which I represent, as well as the
unselfshnes sof its principles The red
ness of the melon itself is indicative of
the richness and blessings which will
come to this country when the principles
or the prohibition party shall have pre-
vailed. The seed. which ara cast aside.
| are emblematical of the necessity of
casting aside those nuisances and obsta-
cies to the enjoyment Of fife-the saloons
OF this country-before any real plea
sure or permanent good can come to our
| citizens.
| ''The size manifests the fact that.
while at one time it was a very small
fruit, yet il has grown to huge pro-
portions, typical Of the growth and de-
velopment of the party which has ar
| sumed and Is assuming great size
| throughout the country. The eagerness
| with which you have partaken of II is
suggestive to my mind that when the
| benefits and privileges to be derived are
fully appreciated by the people of this
country they will be as eager to stand
| for and support the principles of that
party which represents those interests
which are nearest and dearest to us all
home, fatherhood. motherhood and child
| hood-as you are to partake of this lu-
cious fruit"
Mr.. Levering's sentiments were shared
by all present, although all were not
| prohibitionists by any means. and then
| Mr.. Aldridge Young was called upon
| TO SAY few remarks" Mr.. Young
| believed that IT was Diogenes who said
| that the wine which he most relished
was that which he drank at some ones
| else expense" As much as he hated TIN
| man, he said, he had 10 agree with him
| that silver was local issue. at least for
the people OF Colorado.
cold water" he continued as not a
| local issue. but a national issue Our
great national bird can dip his beak in
70 the Atlantic and his suffix into the
Pacific and find water everywhere 1
have today come to doubt Mr. Lever
ing's sound money proclivities. for see
| here. not IS 10 /, but . to l." meaning .
people TO one watermelon.
He hoped that the seeds which might
be planted would, in due time, reap a
rich harvest. Mr.. Young mad all the
seeds OF the big melon preserved He
said he would send some OF them 70
Cleveland. some 10 Bryan and some 10
| Mckinley. He was asked whether This
was his Interpretation of casting aside"
! the seeds. which Mr.. Levering had spo-
ken OF in his address.
Those OF the seed which are let
| over" he declared. Il mean 70 send TO
some p-Ohibitio2ist down in virginia"