The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-14
Emmanuel
Catty's
RadiSh
By 3. L'Estranfe

By q. L'Estrsnfe
"Yes!" Emmanuel Catty sat up tri.
umphantly. With my patent manure
will grow the biggest radishes In the
United States"
Emmanuel Catty was a recent emf.
grant to America. On the voyage
thither he had become converted to
vegetarianism. and henceforth intend.
ed to devote his life to the culture
Of vegetables. convinced that fame
and fortune would crown his efforts.
1t had taken his fertile brain but q
short period to evolve a manure. com.
biDed Of more chemicals than could
be named In a summers day. OF its
universal efficacy he had no doubt:
but DESTROYS Of proceeding with all
prudence. he intended to try 1t first
on the humble but tasty and succu.
lent radish. He MANFRED his plot Of
ground. and sowed his seed accord.
ingly; but. as time went on. the leaves
Of only one radish appeared above the
ground.
Never mind" said Emmanuel. 1T
will be monster"
The weather was exceedingly hot,
but the radish grew and prospered.
Its leaves filled all Emmanuel's little
plot and broke down the fences. EN-.
manuel watered 1t daily from the we'll
at the back Of his house: but the heat
continued. and by and by the well
gave out. Then. one by one. all the
wells In the neighborhood gave out:
there was q drought.
Presently the only green things in
tho neighborhood were the leaves Of
the huge vegetable. which. In spite Of
the heat, continued to grow and pros
per. People came from miles round
to see the radish. till Emmanuel piled
. huge barricade Of old meat tins In
front Of It. and demanded cent
apiece for permission to look inside
Then still more persons came. for
they knew there must be something
worth seeing. II they had to pay in
order to see. Emmanuer's pride and
his profits grew daily. till at last It
was time to dig up the radish.
But. behold Il would not come up.
Emmanuel Catty. aware that II would
b work Of some dimculty. had requi'
sitioned haIf-a.dosen neighbour with
picks and shovels to assist him, and
Z large cart wherswith to carry TIE
radish away. But the farther down
10 and his companions dug the far-
Their the radish extended.
Ito bulk diminished, It 10 true. after
they had dug down hundred feet or
20: It showed slight symptoms Of mar
rowing. ~ II intending to taper. ~
do ordinary radishes. But IL perfec-
ton had to be taken on trust. for let
its owner and his companions dig %
they would. the radish showed no
signs Of stopping. The tail seemed
prepared to continue Indefinitely.
by this time sca6olding was erect
ed. and the sides Of the pit round the
radish were strutted up: the whole
state had gone wild with excitement
and three leading newspapers had
opened subscription lists to enable
Catty to continue the work Of extract
ing the radish. So the digging con
tinued. and AZ Catty superintended t.
he realized suddenly the cause Of the
drought: that wetched radish had
drawn to itself all the water In the
ueighborhood. and tapped the wells'
| II anything. this increased the In
terest Of the public; people felt tina
they had sacrificed something to thu
radish. and had a right In It.; 80 thu
boring went on with undiminished en-
ergy. Emmanuel Catty heading tn
workers and rejoicing In the though
that he was famous at last.
After some weeks. however. tn
. work came to q standstill; the hea
In the mine was becoming intens<
and the radish still extended dowl
ward. Emmanuel nearly wept wit
. disappointment when the suggestic
Y Of giving up the task was frst mad
d Come what would. he vowed he woul
a see the end Of that radish. Il believe
Y he cried, that It goes right throul
the EARTH"
People looked at each other duh
ously; II seemed possible that Il
N idea was correct: but how to put
d to the test? The heat In the mi
a was already sitting. Then Catty h
e. another idea.
Il Let 10 excavate inside the radi
ITSELF" he cried. THAT will be CT
enough"
This was true; the water which
be radish had sucked M into itself frt
h 90 large an area kept It cool a
fresh: besides. II was easy to NO
Is and not dif'icult to strut up: 90 II
lily the very heart Of the radish plune
Catty and his devoted followers. b
rowing steadily downward. and ex
waiting the radish pulp day By day.
Some Of II they ate. thereby OF
ating the necessity for large sup
ke- Of provisions. The hole in the rad
IN communicated with the mine. and
mine in its turn with the upper atm