The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1913-12-04
BELGIAN
CUCUMBERS
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1913. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

The county of Vernon In certain
middle state was at peace. Farmers.
mechanics and merchants met each
other and asked:
How is old Vernon countyY"
And the answer would be:
"Old Vernon county is all right-you
betv'
Fifty men saw K. NJ. Davis, as he
came to be known, when the bus drove
UP to the inn at Clifton with him as
the only passenger. He was a middle
aged man. and he had the face of a
true American patriot. He had come
to give Vernon county such a chance
to get rich as had never been held out
to her before. Years ago his grand
father had died and had been buried in
that county and it was consecrated
ground to him. That is why he had
come to it instead Of any other county.
Mr. Davis had come to Clifton direct
from Europe. He had gone over there
to study the agriculture of the country
at his own expense. He had returned
with what might be called great find.
The Belgians were almost secretly
growing a specimen of cucumber that
was bound to revolutionize the world.
1t was amazingly prolific.
One acre of ground would grow 5000
cucumbers. each three feet long and
weighing five pounds.
1t was like eating oranges. 1t was
a breakfast food in ITSELF 1t left be-
hind it an exhiaration not known to
any other vegetable in the world.
This cucumber was certain to take
the place of grains of all sort in
year or two more and would displace
the potato and the turnip entirely.
MIR. Davis did more than talk and
exhibit seeds. He put $50 cash in
bank as a prize to the person raising
the most Belgian cucumbers the next
spring or summer. 1t was November
then. Between November and April
Mr. Davis sold over $1,000 worth OF
seeds and received his money for them.
When he went away kc went boldly,
and he left the prize money In the
bank. By so doing he escaped all sus-
picion.
Now came a mystery. In Clifton
lived a widow named Lee. She had
been there only two years, and the
people knew little about her. She was
nearly six feet tall. rugged and strong,
and she neighbored with none. She
went to Mr. Davis for some seeds, but
refused to pay the price She offered
only penny apiece and when turned
down made use Of some very strong
language.
April was forward month in Yer
non county. and the cucumber vines
were beginning to run by the middle
Of May. One night some one pulled
up and stacked the vines in ten diff
ferent gardens. They found tracks
of mans boots, but nothing further.
The next night more gardens suffered.
Just who to suspect was q puzzler.
but Of course it was case OF Jealousy
and spite. Every man who had any
vines set q watch on them.
Deacon Tracy was the first one to
report a clew. He had half an acre OF
vines and was sitting up to watch
for the vandal when a man came sud-
denly upon him and knocked him
senseless When he recovered his wits
his vines had been destroyed. Tracks
left by q mans boots-that was all.
OF course there were excitement and
Indignation. A reward Of s. was
offered for the arrest of the marauder.
and owners of vines as yet untroubled
hired watchmen. Then the man OF
night betook himself out among the
farmers. He raided far and wide.
He destroyed nothing but the cucum-
Der vines, but he did not spare a hill
Of them that he could get at. He was
chased by men and dogs; he was shot
at; traps were set for him In twenty
different places, yet no one earned
that reward.
At Farmer Johnson's place he and
his son were hidden in the smoke
house when the unknown appeared.
He had scarcely pulled vine when
they were upon him. Both were strong
men, but the struggle was over In
minute. The unknown knocked them
both silly and got away with their
hats and pieces of their shirts as
souvenirs. 1t was figured that he had
got such a scare. however, that he
would not appear again. He returned
next night when no one was watch
ing and attacked the vines.
The excitment was now at fever
heat and the whole county was ask
ing what should be done. when the
marauder came to his end. A widow
named Jones had twenty hills ct vines
she was watching. She had az old
army carbine, and a neighbor bad
loaded it for her. She was watching
from window. and as the man or
night appeared and began his work
she fred at him. He dropped. but
struggled up and ran.
A hundred men turned out and
searched the streets and alleys and
the country around, but they did not
find the wounded man. They had given
up the quest when word went round
that no one had seen the Widow Lee
for three days. The locked doors OF
her house were broken open. and she
was found dead on the floor. A bullet
had struck her in the chest-the bullet
fred by the other widow. She was
dressed as q man from head to heel
and had false whiskers besides.
The Belgian cucumbers? Oh. they
were a fraud, Of course-just plain.
everyday American cucumbers. with
the usual 90 per cent water. It's just
"a easy to swindle a whole county as