The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24

day or two To- make It more better. and
you can't .%'spicion de real state, q y
tilid y sfSdv th%Tg@oR to make q S0 SarS. y You lG Rin
il dead weight, pr too light weight but you
it too much. cause once you Jar II the melon
amt gwine git no more sweetenin' n II nSS
picker does do harm in a patch. You must take
time an go easy wild dc business. Same as, dc
scriptcr have 4: th sa de2 a fi1 5e tine IN asP 20 s Sap g g
melon vine. A day beforehand or behindhand
don't make no difference In de size, you got
ness and iavorment only come ono time. like
de sup run up In a tree trunk, an, II You leave II
lose dc bestness. A melon a day over its time
is soft, Just a little, an II 1t pull too soon IT miss
de sugary taste, been pullin' melon too long
~" DOES / ever make mistaken In course l git
fooled 'casionly, but not often. rs got de right
that name" and the champion moves on, to
where a pudRy. streaked and striped melon
and listens. with her ear to the rind, as intentiy
as though grnver issues were at stake. q,
old Mr.. Buckra, what tend de cattle; and
between time, he does pertend to be a picker,
she goes on, and all de time he's braggin,
melon rDSRs q he S ES9f9 ase ISS TO PICK Ig S d6w S' ON MAGE &c old T3f boss So
but he amt touch me, when 4 come, to tellln'
to visit wild de children down de country; Mr.,
Buckra pick de melons outen dis patch while l
/ git back. say how as much. as five out OF a
dozen would be q slip-pp; How de hands did
dt9yii de old nan GHo bout DAT t0t melon G. pisE d6v w AL
more give way in de quarter count Of poor
tastin' Just cut open and piece taken out and
The wouId-be melon. picker watched Maum
yNicey's msnGepvres and heard her mandates.
and haInU n pDN1 Gunpsnr la what CAfriAa with
the watermelon picker" was his summing up.
Watermelons are eaten very differently down
E sG%'tR To- S sa1 them N ' irom G the s stiff! sti fa9 4 regular aHlr
sit-down-to;the-table fashion that obtains in
IIs Ta ipF r fdr rGSSI ismily T9 ]Ris RFsyal snS al! 70 tsYi fno
up on u shady back porch or piazza, and hold
the axe-shaped pieces primitivelyin the fingers.
rest and turning to the piled-up tray for fresh
Watermelon Cutting It now" calls some-
body, whoever happens to be in melon mood
and averse to eating alone. and in g trice thin
bles and books and. any manner OF occupation
are cast aside and the clans gather to the fray.
armed with such eating implements as may
like my melon best eaten with a spoon out
Of tho rind. l like to scoop out the mouthfuls
and leave little wells and embankments for the
juice to fill in" says one. when a half melon Is
handed her, the knob on the bottom end prop
erly levelled of, go that it may stand securely.
nicer that way" says another, and another de-
clares for shaving of broad. wafer-thin slices
with a sharp-bladed knife. At these behind
the-soenes, .off-guRrd gatherings everybody
wants only the heart, and acouple OF conRenials
will be seen bearing of q monster melon be-
tween them. to be eaten tete-a-tete under the
trees or in some convenient nook. where they
make as little or as much impression on the
heart as they wish.
Planters famous for the fine melons they raise
can always count on plenty OF company in the
midsummer season. Summer trips and vaca-
ton outings that cost solid dollars In railroad
fare and hotel rates are practically unknown
among the simple country folk; besides. the
and tend to their crops. but every young per-
son and many older ones as we'll spend Mt least
two or three weeks in homes other than their
own. with far-of neighbors and connections.
and o plentifulness or scantiness OF the melon
supply Is OF importance In the reckoning OF
both host and visitor.
You ought to go down to Col. Kings some
time; they have the most delicious melons, and
50 many they can hardly get rid of them" is
the report Of some lately returned guest Of the
Colonel. and ten chances to one II you act on
the suggestion you will catch the Colonel play
Ing solitaire. on the piazza. while q sack OF
nicely cooled melons is Just being hauled ur
out Of the well. Devoted to solitaire the Colo
mel is. but never too engrossed to remember. II
send three or four bouncing melons OF his OWL
raising to some neighbor or pensioner in that
particular direction not gifted with the know
Ing how of melon making. or perhaps toe
much taken up, with burdensome farmers
cares to pay much attention to luXuries. The
watermelon plays O prominent part In the sum.
mer's reckoning at the South, social, domestic
In whatever relation, and the choicest anc
finest are not common enough to be held cheaI
or lose their value,