The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-06-16

Il plain and healthy human boy
lie Didn't Have the Heart,
One long and hot and sweltry sum
mer day some six or seven years ago
l was maxim trip through the coun
try somewhcres clost along about tn,
border line between the states of Ala
hama and Mississippi, The road WA
tremendous rough and lonesome, bu
along towards noon rid 10y one of tn,
most loveliest little valley farms l haC
ever seen in all my born days. l was
so busy lookin at the GROWN crops
and the coy fiNments around the place
till | rid right up in ten feet of year
lin boy before ! linoved there was such
a human bein in all them parts. There
want anything particlar notorious
about the boys general appointments
With his homCspun breeChcs and his
home-kuit galluses on, and "A wool hat
which had long since went to seed
he was a fair sample of the hundreds
and thousands of country boys who are
comm along with the risn generation
| to fashion the future and shape the
| destiny Of this great country.
But in other ways that boy was plu-
! perfect picture of sufferin and sorrow,
and l couldn't help from slowin up
long enough to find out what was the
matter with him. He was Numbered
down in the cotton patch, jest over the
fence-in the brilin hot sun-cryin and
bIubberin and goiu on like his heart
would break, and sweatin forth great
drops Of perspiration as big as glass
marbles. lie was so busy with his
troubles he didn't see me till | belt in
my horse and spoke-which | never
saw him till l heard his sobs and signs
and moanin just over the fence.
Hello, there, Buster!' says I, speak
in as bright and cheerful as l could.
''What seems to be the matter with
you this large and lovely summer day?"
he was fair sample of the hundreds
Hits a plenty the matter, mis-
ter, Gods plenty" says the boy,
as he turned around and squeezed the
back water out of his eyes with the
knuckles of his left hand
We'll, out with the tale of woe"
says l. Tell me your troubles, and
then if you don't see what you want
ask for it,"
you see this here cotton patch,
mster?'
Yes | saw the cotton patch.
We'll, the old man turned me in here
day before yistiddy mornin to chop out
this cotton. Hit was in the general or
ders that | must cut up every water
melon vine in the whole two acres, or
take a liclsin for every one | left. Hit
has been worse than sheddin eye teeth
to carry out them orders and have
been achin all over from that minnit
till now. Down there by that old gum
stump | found one orful pritty vine. !
Hit was sorter hid out amongst the !
bushes, and consequentially | left !
it. thinkin maybe the old man wouldn't |
find it. But he come out here this
mornin nosin about and pirootin |
around, and by hokeys he found it
which he didn't do blame thing to me |
then but give me the most hellatious
hard licldn n white boy ever toted out
of these woods.
I'VE have got regular watermelon
patch over there on the hill, and if the
seasons but right l reckon we will have
dead coolies of EN- when they git ripe.
But they do grow so rank and rapid
down here in the bottom. and it don't
look to me like it would hurt nothin to
leave few here and fling them in for
good measure.
You can see I am not done chopin
he cotton. and here is the last and
ongest and the finest watermelon vine
n the patch" the boy went on, be-
ween his sobs, as he pointed out par
iclar promisin vine. Look at the
blooms and young uns on it, won't
GU? Hard and unreasonable aint the
words, mister, but have got to do one
# two things to-day-chop up that
watermelon vine or stand and take an !
Their lickin. Which would you do, mis-
ar, if you was me-"
Spit in my hands and shet my eyes
nd chop it up" says l. j
'Tain't no use in talliin', mister, / f
80 SIMPLY am SOl the HtdTL 10 40 | z
nat. Two liclins amt but twicst as !
ad as one, though know the next one a
bound to be a shirt-scorcher. Hits a
-ful, orful, orful, any way you take Ii
Say, mister, if you amt in too much @
Irry, would you mind to dismountand h
Top it up for me? You can take my
pc and do the bloody work whilst [ s.
Ok tother way" Fl
So, as nothin else would answer. I &
amounted and got down and took the u
'e. The poor, unhappy boy turned his Ct
OK and wept whilst I chopped up that Al
lvely watermelon vine" r.
Then as mounted and rid on towards 81
c sunset hills the boy breshed the
irs away and resumed. g.
naNE .