St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-03-07


flee. Marking the choicest fruit of
! those precious vines, he pronounced
| the terrible sentence, Tomorrow I
| shall cut these 40 and take them to
the market at Cadiz. Happy shall he
| be who eats them!" He walked
homeward with a slow pace, and
| passed the night with the anxious
| daughter in marriage on the follow
ing day. ''My poor pumpkins!" he
sighed many times. without being
able to compose himself to sleep.
Then he reflected, But what else is
to be done? For this purpose I have
raised them. They will yield me at
least SIS"
Imagine, then, his establishment and
his fury the following morning, on
going to his garden, when he found
that during the night he had been
robbed of his forty pumpkins! Like
Shakespeare's Jew, he reached the
loftiest paroxysm of tragedy, repeat
ing frantically those terrible words
of Shylock, "Oh, if I find him! If I
find him!"
When he began to reflect more de-
1iberately he reasoned that his be-
loved Jewels could not be in Rota,
where it would be impossible to sell
them without risk of recognition, and
where, also, the price of pumpkins
was very low.
81 see it clearly; they are in Cadiz!"
he concluded. ''The rascally scoun-
drels must have stolen them last
night about nine or ten o'clock, and
escaped with them at ~ on the
freight-boat. I shall leave for CadiZ
this morning on the hour-boat, and 1T
will be wonder if I do not trap the
sneak-thief and recover the children
of my TOLL"
Having said this he remained for
about 20 minutes in the place of the
catastrophe. as though he were ca
ressing the mutilated pumpkin vines,
or counting the pumpkins that re-
manned, or holding a sort of inquest
for some trial which was about to
begin. At about eight he left for
the wharf.
He had determined to leave for the
market at Cadiz in the hour-boat, the
humble sail-boat which starts every
morning at nine carrying passengers,
lust as the freight-boat sails every
night at II carrying fruit and vege-
tables. The first is called the hour
boat. because in that space of time,
and even in 40 minutes, when the wind
is favorable, it crosses the three
leagues of water which stretch be-
tween the ancient village Of the duke
of ARGOS and the ancient city of Her
cules.
1t was half-past ten of that day
when Uncle Buscobeatas stopped in
front of a vegetable stand in the
Cadiz market, and exclaimed to the
weary policeman who accompanied
him, ''There are my pumpkins! Ar
rest that mani" pointing out the re-
taller.
ARREST mel" exclaimed the ac-
cused, full of surprise and anger.
''These are my pumpkins; bought
them
"You can tell that to the mayor!"
replied Uncle Buscobeatas.
II say MOI"
IL say yes!'
"You vagabond!"
"You thief!'
"You must speak to each other
with more decency. Men should not
be lacking in this respect" said the
policeman, with much calmness, Civ
ing each punch in the ribs.
Meanwhile large crowd had as
sembled, and among them came the
magistrate in charge of the market
police-the market inspector, as he
is officially called. The policeman re-
signed the jurisdiction to his superior
and informed that distinguished an-
thority of all that had taken place.
From whom did you buy these
pumpkins?" his majesty asked, in an
august manner.
From Uncle Fulano, resident of
Rota," he replied.
"very likely!" ironically growled
Uncle Buscobeatas. "He is quite equal
to such things. When his own gar
den, which is wretchedly poor, pro-
duces little, he goes out to rob his
neighbor."
But" continued the magistrate,
turning to the old gardener, admit
ting the hypothesis that you were
robbed last night of 40 pumpkins,
what assurance have you that these
are yours?"
Indeed" replied Uncle Buscobeat
as, because 1 know them like you
know your daughters, if you have
any. Don't you see 1 raised them?
Look here! This one is named
Roundy; this one is Plumpy; this is
Paunchy; that one is Mulatto; this
one is Manuela, because it SO much
resembles my younger daughter"
And the poor man began to weep bit
terly.
"All that sounds very WELL" replied
the inspector, ''but the law is not
satisfied with the mere recognition
of your pumpkins. It is necessary
that you should prove your claim by
credible evidences. Gentlemen, there
is nothing to smile at. I am law
yer"
''Then you shall see that T shall
quickly prove to all the world, with
out moving from this place, that
these pumpkins were raised in my
garden said Uncle Buscobeatas, to
the astonishment of the bystanders.
Letting fall to the ground bundle
which he carried in his hand, he
stopped down, kneeling until he sat
upon his feet, and began to TRANQUILITY
unite the knotted ends of the hand