The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-09-25
DIVERSIONS oE A MAcNATe.
Tow Mining Man Enjoyed Himself at
the Height of the Melon Season.

For three-quarters of an hour yester-
lay evening Phoenix was not as duh
own as 1t has been for some weeks, or
ver since the summer hegira to the
oast set in. 1t had a small beginning
md soon developed into boom in the
watermelon trade, which resulted In
much profit to q youthful melon broker
whose offices are at No. 'steen, West
Adams street.
The watermelon corner was engi-
leered by Mr.. Sparks, a mining man
rom Alaska. who had been In Phoenix
,or the last two months. He had been
thinking some kind of fluid which not 9.
)nly exhilarated him, but also warmed
he cookies of his heart and consider
lbly decreased the size and value of
he silver dollar. He bought water.
melon and accidentally let it fall on the
sidewalk. 1t burst open and the beau
iful red inside put 1t in his mind to
paint the town red with watermelons.
That was a kind of frescoing that had
never been heard of before. He bought
.he load of melons and burst them all
lpon the sidewalk and soon surrounded
himself with all the small boys in that
part of the city. A SNOWFALL battle in
July ensued the broken pieces of
melon were used in place of snowballs.
The boys entered into the sport with
a zest which pleased the mining man,
who now and then showed his appre.
citation by showering pieces of silver
among them. The play became more
and more spirited until there were no
more pieces of red watermelon hearts
left big enough to throw, and the pro.
cession moved on to the Postoffice fruit
stand. To the CONSERVATION of the
proprietor the mining man began TAX
ing possession of his watermelons and
cantaloupes and hurling them into the
street for the delectation of his youth
full followers. Some of them were
thrown at passing vehicles and at per-
sons who had not been regularly en-.
rolled in the game and who imagined
that something disorderly was going
on.
The mining man threw cantaloupes
into the air and offered So to the boy
who would catch them. The scramble
! began to grow terrific. but at last all
the watermelons and the other melons
We're exhausted, and then the mining
man picked up crates of plums and
other fruits and tossed them among
the shrieking youth. who at the same
| time were pelting him with pieces of
broken melon and any other debris
| that came handy.
After this extraordinary sport had
| been going on for three-quarters of an
hour, John Casey came along. and
! though he does not reside within the
| limits of the city, he butted in in the
! interest of law and order which did
not seem to be receiving proper consid.
GRAFTON from any other source. Mr..
| Casey told the mining man that this
thing would have to stop. The mining
man thought that he had another re.
cruit and that there was going to be
more fun than ever He led with his
! right, which fell with the force of a
pile driver on Mr.. Casey's jaw, and that
apostle of propriety was for moment
converted into a spinning top He
brought up finally against door, and
when the world quit going around and
around he went away. If the city tax.
payers were willing TO let such things
happen, he reasoned that it was none
of his business.
The mining. man paid for all the
havoc that he had wrought and at
! length allowed himself to be led away
by friend. The boy with the water.
melon wagon said Mr.. Sparks was a
godsend. If it hadn't been for him
he would have gone home broke. Mr..
Casey holds that he was not a god
send. Whoever sent him, if it had not
been for him he would not have gone
home with his jaw broken.-Arizons
Republican.