The Dermott news., 1919-02-13

He had no sooner said 1t than n
cry broke from my lips, and l sank
down upon the grass moaning and
sohbing. | lay amidst the ruins of
the simple faith of childhood. 1t was
as If the world and all its joys had
come TO an end.
Aunt Deel spoke in low. kindly
tone and came and lifted me to my
feet very tenderly.
Come. Bart, don't feel so about
that old Melon" said she. lit amt
worth it. Come with me. I'm going
to give you present-ayes l be-
was still crying when she took
me to her trunk. and offered the
grateful assuagement of candy and
IA belt. all embroidered with blue and
white beads.
Now you see. Bart. how low and
mean anybody Is that takes what
don't belong to 'em-ayes. They're
snakes. Everybody hates 'em an
stamps on 'em when they come in
sight-aycs -
The abomtnation of the Lord WAS
in her look and manner. How it
shook my soul! lie who had taken
the Watermelon had also taken from
me something | was never to have
again. and Il very wonderful thing II
waS-faith in the goodness of men.
My eyes had seen evil. The world
had committed its first otfense against
me and my spirit WAS no longer the
L ri tIitu II hoH hnpO
Still. therein Is the beginning of wis
dom and, looking down the long vista
OF the years. | thank God for the
great harvest of the lost watermelon.
Better things had come IN Its place
understanding and what more, often
| have VainlY tried To estimate. For
one thing that sudden revelation of
the heart of childhood had lifted my
aunt'S out OF the cold storage Of
puritanic spirit. and warmed it into
new life and opened Its door for me.
In the afternoon she sent ME over
to Wills to borrow little tea. l
stopped for n few minutes to play
with Henry WillS-a boy not quite
a year older than l. While playing
there | discovered n piece of the
rind of my melon In the dooryard. On
that piece of rind saw the cross
which had made one day with my
thumb-nail Ii was intended to In
dicate that the melon was solely and
wholly mine. felt flush OF anger.
Il hate you" l said as l approached
him.
Il hate YOU" he answered.
you're n snake!" said
We now stood. face to face and
breast to breast, like pair Of young
BOOSTERS. He gave me shove and
told me TO 20 home. l gave him
shove and told him l wouldn't. ]
pushed up close to him again and
we glarcd into each others eyes.
suddenly he spat in my face.
gave him "A scratch on the forehead
with my iluger-nails. Then We fell
upon each other and rolled on the
ground and hit and scratched with
feline feroeIty.
Mrs. Wills ran out of the house and
parted Us. cur blood was hot. and
4'tAhlAl- tlll Att+-i tAlt SAlL VI pAl laws
Il little.
"iie pitched on me-" Henry ex
planned
l couldn't speak.
ECO r sht Aome-thlS mlnute-you
brat said Mrs. Willis in anger
"lIere's Your tea. bon you ever come
here aaaiH.-'
taua the tea and started down the
road weeping. What bitter day
that was Tor me! | dreaded to face
my aunt ana uncle. Coming through
the grove down by our Into met
Uncle Peabody. With the keen in
sight OF the father Of the prodignl son
he had seen NE coming "a long way
Off and shouted:
well. here ye be was kind o
worried, Bulb"
Then his eye caught the look OF de /
lection In my gait and figure. He hur
ried toward me. lie stopped as J
came sobbng To his feet.
why, what's the matter7" he asked
gently, ms he took the tea cup f.om
my hand. and sat down upon his heels .