Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-11-12
BOYS AND GIRLS.
THE WATERMELON TRAP.

For two years the doctor had been
disappointed in his intention of en-
Toying the fruits of bis watermelon
patch. Just as soon as the melons
ripened some boys of the neighbor-
hood stole them away at night. That
was why the aged physician now
stood grimly in the midst of the bear
ing vines with his medicine case in
his hand. He stopped down and
thumped two melons.
''These will be about right to pick
by to- morrow" he said to himself;
shut suppose some of those pesky
boys will hook them before morning.
Well, if I can't eat them myself, at
least I'll try and find out what boys
are stealing them"
With this he ''plugged" the two
melons, and, taking little vial from
his medicine case, inserted little
white powder into each of the red
dening hearts of the luscious fruit.
The vial was labeled 'Ipec.,' which
was the DOCTORS abbreviation for
ipecacuanha-a drug whose effects
are decidedly unpleasant.
Now, Tom Browning had a cousin
from the city visiting him, and the
cousin W as in search of experiences.
The country was new to him, and he
had got most Of his ideas concerning
it from what he had read in story
books. One idea that he had OBJ
tanned this way was that it was the
proper thing for boy in the country
to steal watermelOns.
Therefore he preached the subject
4 to his cousin.
'sTom," said he. ''isn't there some
pace we can go hooking watermelons
9 TO night?"
! Tom shook his head. "No," sale
he. "I've given up hookin' water
melons It's just as much stealing
as any other kind"
g s'Didn't you ever hook watermel
d ons?" queried Archie.
;. Tom hesitated, stammered ant
Il blushed a little as he confessed.
"Wen, yes, I have. [ took some o
the DOCTORS last summer. But I'm
older this year, and know better.
< shan't do it any more. You wouldn'
); steal watermelon out of store il
q the city, would yoa?"
o. emo" said Archie, s'of course MOI
a. But it's different when you are in tn
2: country. Tt isn't stealing, really
N when you get them out of a garden
it's just hookin'."
% ssNo difference replied Tom, an
~ so the two boys argued the questio
81 until finally Tom fell, and promise
to accompany his cousin on ra
~ that night, ''just this once"
Is, When it came to the actual creepli
ct into the DOCTORS garden in the da1
So and taking the melons, Archie, WI
had been go keen for the project
=. the broad light of day, weaken
-, perceptibly, and just as the two DO
~ began to crawl through the fence
~ had sudden attack of fear, which
is, tried to convince himself was CO
science.
so ST don't know but it is wrong
steal watermelons, after all,
,h- whispered to Tom. 'In fact,
- SURE it is. Let's go bome."
"Pshaw!" said Tom. You
IN afraid. That's what's the mat
og with you"
ell; Tom had been ready to back out
la any time before this, but now that
saw his cousin showing the VII
nd feather he was determined to cal
II if through. So he went forward, I
~. lowed by the tire milling city boy, v
.ei, was ready to run at any sound.
hel Suddenly a bird on the doctc
house was blown to with ga
or Archie was off like shot, but L
75c stood still with his heart beating
lently, till, seeing that it was on
Ioz. loose blind. he went on with his 10
~. NO. Had he come on the expedlt
W alone he would have run nome
le4' fast as he could, but he wanted
ess, show Archie" and so, recovering h
self. he carefully thumped the mel
on and. with the unfailing accuracy,
,an- marauding small boy in someo
zen else,s melon patch, selected the
ripest melons-the very ones tnaO
wal. do tor had plugged and medical
re-, Taking them under his arms
SZO ioined his cousin, who was waiting
OoX him half q mile down the road
ush- hovs smashed the melons agalns
to- stone wall and proceeded to eat
rich. Juicy hearts Of them. Inc ooo
.rel. had put in only small dose or
400 cacuanha. and the boys did not no
7e ANYTHING suspicious in the flavor.
At O'Clock that morning the 9
, tors doorbell rang violently ano
llps' old man poked bis head OUT OF
box; window. Farmer Browning &C
sc a below and called: "Come over TO
egg house as quick as you can, ooc
,Oa2 NV boy and my nephew, VINO Is VI
. ing us. are both dying, tnlnK.
Ter,,- dear. hurry, hurry up!