The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-12-26
"Never!" said Uncle Peabody, "lu

He had no sooner SAID 1T tnan u
cry broke from my lips, and | sank
down upon the grass moaning and
sobbing. | lay amidst the ruins OF
the simple faith of childhood. 1t was
come to an md.
Aunt Deei spoke in a low, kindly
tone ard came and lifted me TO my
feet very tenderly.
Come, Bart, don't feel SO about
that old melon" said she, lit ANT
worth it. Come with me. I'm going
to give you a present-ayes | be-
| was still crying when she took
me 10 her trunk, and offered the
grateful assuagement of candy and
a belt, all embroidered with blue and
white beads.
"Now you see, Bart, how low II
mean anybody Is hat takes what
don't belong to 'em-ayes! They're
snakes! Everybody hates 'em an
stamps on 'em when they come in
~sight-ayes!
The ahoInination Of the Lord was
In her look and manner. Low it
shook my soul. He who had taken
the watermelon had also taken from
ne something | was never to have
again. and a very wonderful thing 1T
/ was-faith in the goodness of men.
Nv ewes had seen evil. The world
aad committed its first offense against
NE and my spirit was no longer the
! white and beautiful thing ii had been.
Still, therein is the beginning Of wis
lon and, looking down the long vista
IF the years, | thank God for the
great harvest of the lost watermelon.
Better things had come IN It's place
understanding and what more, often
have yainly tried to estimate. For
me thing that sudden revelation OF
he heart of childhood had lifted my
iunt's out of the cold storage Of a
ouritanic spirit, and warmed i into
new life and opened its dOOr for me.
In the afternoon she sent me over
20 wills to borrow q little tea. !
stopped for a few minutes to play
With Henry Wills-a boy not quite
/ year older than 1. While playing
there | discovered a piece of the
ind of my melon in the dooryard. On
hat piece Of rind l saw the cross
which | had made n day with my
.humh-nail. 1t was intended to in
iicate that the melon was solely and
wholly mine. l felt a flush Of anger.
81 hate you" l said as l approached
lim.
81 hate you," he answered.
you're a snake !" l said
We now stood, face to face and
breast to breast, like a pair of young
.oosters. He gave mi a shove and
.Old me to GO home. l gave him a
shove and told him l wouldn't. /
pushed up close to him again and
We glared into each others eyes.
Suddenly he spat in my face. l
gave him a scratch ON the forehead
With my fnger-nails. Then we fell
lpon each oth"c and rolled on the
ground and hit and scratched with
feline ferocity.
Mrs. Wills ran out of the house and
parted us. Our blood was hot, and
eaking through the skin of our faces
little.
"He pitched on me-" Henry ex-
planned.
/ couldn't speak.
go right ~home-this minute-you
pratI" said Mrs. Willis in anger.
Here's your tea. Don't you ever come
here again."
l took the tea and started down the
road weeping. What a bitter day
hat was for me! l dreaded to face
ny aunt and uncle. Coming through
the grove down by our gate / met
Uncle Peabody. With the keen in
sight of the father of the ~prodigal son
ne had seen me coming "a long way
off" and shouted:
"Well, here We bel was kind O.
worried, Bub."
Then his eye caught the look of de-
lection In my gait and figure. He hur-
ried toward me. He stopped as ]
came sobbing to his feet.
"Why, what's the matterT he asked
gelIly, Us lit tOck TIE tea cup ltouA
my hand. and sat down upon his heels.
I could only fall into his arms and
press myself in the grief of child
Jod. He Rugged me close and begged
me to tell him what was the mat
ter.
"That Wills boy stole my melon
said. and the words came slow with
sobs.
"Oh, no he didn't" said Uncle Pea.
body.
Eyes he did. / saw a piece O. the
rim"
well by" said Uncle Peabody
stopping. as usual, at the edge of the
precipice.
"He's a snake" I added.
"And you fit and he scratched you
up that way"
f"I scratched him, too"
"Don't you say a word about it t.
Aunt Deel. Don't ever speak o. that
miserable melon ag'in to anybody
You scoOt around to the barn, an
I'll be there In q minute and Ak "
up"
He went by the road with the ties
and I ran around to the lane and VI
to the stable. Uncle Peabody me
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