The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-08-25

A. .. met Oh the corner under the
electric light to proceed with the
evenings business OF initiating
Jimmie G. They all were there and
waiting. when Jimmie finally is
sued forth from the shadows OF
his side yard. He was carrying a
clumsy looking bundle, and he
came up to his fellow members
with rather hating walk because
he seemed to be having some trou-
BILE to keep the insides from string
ing out.
Hi, JIM" greeted Bill Hadley.
going to get us some eats to
night?"
Sure" answered jim, without
looking up. "come-mon an watch
me-" And the small procession of
the II. A. O. moved off down the
street towards the place where wa
termelOns grew,-and dog lay
sleeping.
But Jimmie was prepared. AS
soon as they reached the patch he
unwrapped the already almost I'M
wrapped bundle.-and approached
the peril. 1t was pretty dark but
Jimmie could see his friend (or
enemy-which ever the case might
be- lying there, chained to the lit
tie hut, just as he had been in the
afternoon.
AS Jimmie came closer and clos
er the dog suddenly lifted his head
and growled softly.
Hello, old fellow, don't you re-
member me-" began Jimmie in a
most friendly. but very softened
tone; and as he came up, he held
out the incest. latest, juiciest
vicente ever seen in this part of
the country. And it worked.
Without another sound. the keep
er of the watermelon patch lay con-
tentedly eating away On Jimmie's
donation,--for Jimmie had brought
along a good supply.-while the in
itiatee of the r. A. o. hastily ad-
vanced into the midst of the vines,
grabbed the first melon he stun
bled across and began pulling it
loose. 1t was good sized melon.
and since Jimmie had to hold it in
both arms, he did have quite a
time getting it off of the vine; but
finally he managed to get both feet
on the vine, and then pull, so that
helped out.
With the price of his membership
into the great and mysterious Or
der of Try Anything Once, firmly
held in both arms, Jimmie G. made
his way back through the tangled
meshes of the watermelon patch to-
wards the street where the charter
members awaited him.
We'll, fellers, here she is" said
Jimmie with modest pride as soon
as he reached the sidewalk, but just
then an iron hand gripped his
shoulder.
II got you, got you all right,
You will try coming in and getting
my watermelons, will you? Well, |
got you this time" And looking
around, Jimmie found himself in
the clutches of odd Man Ezra"
himself.
All the other boys had gone.
When and how, Jimmie never
knew, but they had gone entirely
and completely. and Jimmie alone
remained to tell the tale.
Still. there did not seem to be
any tale to be told, just then. odd
Ezra" had already begun to march
Jimmie G.. down the street, and all
the time he was exultingly telling
Jimime over and over, 81 got you.
/ got you all right
But they had not gone square
when "Old Ezra" spied the blue
coat and brass buttons of that dis
trict policeman Jimmie saw him
too, and a sheepish grin forced it.
self across that young mans face
as the '"Old Man" forced him
straight up to Big Stick Tom," the
pet policeman and best friend of
every boy in that neighborhood.
81 got him, all right, | got him"
began Old Ezra, as soon as they
had reached the official keeper of
law and order. And at once the
watermelon owner handed Jimmie
over to the owner of the billy-mace,
expecting him to do his worst. But
instead, the big policeman stood
looking down at Jimmie G.. while