Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-01-29

ing, sadly, "Alas! soon we must
parti"
Finally he resolved upon the sacri-
fee. Marking the choicest fruit of
those precious vines, he pronounced
the terrible sentence, Tomorrow l
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
feeling of a father who is to give his
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 l have
raised them. They will yield me at
least S15."
Imagine, then, his astonishment 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 1 find him! If I
find hint"
When he began to reflect more de-
l%iberately 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 it
will be a 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
r%essing the mutilated pumpkin vines,
or counting the pumpkins that re-
manned, or holding n 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,
just as the freight-boat sails every
night at 10 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 III 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; l bought
them"
"You can tell that to the mayor!'
replied Uncle ~Buscobeatas.
81 say moi"
81 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 a punch in the ribs.
Meanwhile a 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 au'
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 growle6
Uncle Buscobeatas. "He is quite equa
to such things. When his own gar.
den, which is w%retchedly 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
r yours?"
"Indeed," replied Uncle Buscobeat.
as, because I know them like you
know your daughters, if you have
any. Don't you see l 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 moi
satisfied with the mere recognition
of your pumpkins. 1t is necessary
that you should prove your claim by
credible evidences. Gentlemen, there
is nothing to smile at. / am a law.
yer"
"Then you shall see that I shall
quickly prove to all the world, with
out moving from this place, thai
these pumpkins were raised in my
garden" said Uncle Buscobeatas, tc
the establishment of the bystanders,