New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-18
MELON FEASTS
The Globe-Trotter Recount.
Some Weird Experience.

"Ah! The first watermelon" cried -.
woman who has travelled. Il never rear.
enjoy summer until can have waterr.,o.
every day. have mania for them. nv
friends say. I always buy one every tim.
see Il, even IN Europe. and hays hs,
some funny experiences getting them ov.-
there.
Put those pillows at your hack ara
make yourself comfortable. while 7 .sr
you how ate waternelOns In Athens. ".
were going to the Acropo.s-a big pa,,v
Of us-but I saw with a cartload q,
beautiful big melons, and so. Of course
Just had to have one. II didn't make any c,.
ference 10 me that IL was hot day and.
long climb over those ruins. l Just tucked
II under my arm and trudged along whsr
nearly dropped II through WEAKNESS, nv
friends took pity and carried It each A
short distance. On the way back they hsa
their reward. The thing was 20 heavy.
by that time we simply had 70 eat /, n
get rid Of H. Fortunately. Just at the FOO.
OF ne Acropolls. around 2 corner from he
main street. 7 spied little house, With
tables set on the porch. so We walked IN
there and sat ourselves down az tab.
with the melon in the centre. After
a while ? nice little, smiling man appeared
We couldn't speak word of Greek. BIZ,
we made motions, and he had sense enough
10 know we had TO have a knife 70 cut
that melon. The books always said the
Greeks were intelligent, SO he brough.
out a great. Misunderstanding knife and
cut the melon for us, grinning and bowng
all the time We started in jublianty. and
II was a dandy. I tell you. Then dlscoy.
cred that there wasn't any salt. and 7
simply cannot eat watermelon without Il
We couldn't make the little Greek under
stand what we wanted. SO, after while,
Y iurped I'D and diyed into his back
rooms. resolved 70 find that salt or perish.
He followed. grinning stu. with that mr-
derous knife in his hand. Afraid? No.
What was there TO scare ne? | had
great time poking into his cuphoards ard
opening every box and bottle r. bis clos.
cts. OF course. I found the salt at last in
plain sight on his kitchen table. How he
did laugh when he saw what ! wanted,
and he muttered some funny words, which,
Of course, were all Greek TO me.
We'll, We ate our melon then. and We
bought one of the little dishes on the
table. because we wanted 10 pay him some
thing for not numbering US with that knife
The Greeks won't take tips, YOU know, 50
we had 10 buy the little dish in order to
get the money into his hand. Then he
smiled more than ever end followed rs
to the corner.
Another long-to-he-ycmembered melon
feast was in Spain There was queer
little old town few miles from the Al.
hambra, which nobody ever goes 10 see
but the woman who did our washing tod
me her daughter lived UP there. and Il
sounded So interesting made UP ny mind
I'd have to see il. Y turned out to be
all she said-gray and picturesque. win
bells on the donkeys IN the streets and
beautiful old houses. l sketched some Of
thenn-there in that hook on the lower
shelf. But II was a hot. dusty day and
by and by I Logan 10 long for water
melon. We found some after 2 while. for
Southern Europe IS full Of them, you know.
Then we found a dingy old tavern behind
the church. 1t was so black and dirty even
IT didn't dare 20 into Il. SO we sat on
| pile OF stones beside the gate, with our
melon in orr laps Pretty soon horrible
wrinkled old woman came out "a see what
was the matter. and we got her 10 hrihs
out salt and the necessary implements 70
US. Then the fun began The whole tosn
had been absolutely deserted all day. We
Lad not seen a soul on the streets. but az
we sat there eating our melon one by one
dark faces appeared at the windows
few amazed men gathered at a respectful
distance and stared az US No one said
word. They did not laugh nor disturb US
In any way. They just watched rs. When
we had finished they disappeared as quiet
| l. as they had come We we're glad TO see
them go, for that silent scrutiny had been
very embarrassing
we had another melon on Vesuyus and
another on the edge ~ glacier In swltzer-
lana which hired 2 hoy 10 carry up from
the village for Us. Just for the fun OF the
thing. OF course We didn't need II 50
much in Switzerland where one can drink
water. In the southern countries ne
~ atermelons are really a blessing. because
they do take the place Of water, and SIM
ply cannot drink the real water down
there.
II there is water famine in New YORK
this summer the people will have to Re fed
on watermelons."