Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-01-09

nc Hau no sooncr szid II thdH I
cry broke from my lips. aad I sank
dewa upon the grass meaning aud
sobblns. lay amidst the ruins Of
the simple faith Of childhood. Il was
as IL the world and all lts jeys bad
come to an end.
F, Auat Deel spoke In lew, kindly
tsae and came sAd lifted ne b my
feet very tenderly.
"Cs.e. Bart, dent feel ssoaheut
that cid meloa." said sAe, 1T amt
worth 1t. Come with me. Tn seing
to sive you q preseat-syes I bel"
I WIS still eryiag whsa she teek
me to her traak. aRG offered tAs
grateful sssusseBeAt sf candy shd
a bsit. all embroidered with blue aaa
white beads.
New yeu see, Bart, ksw lev aBd
Heaa anybody is that takes what
dsa't belong ts 'ea-ayss, They're
snakesl Everykedy hates 'em an
stamps on 'en when they Gene in
e4EAt~4ycSs
Fhe abominstisn Of the Lard vas
in her look and manner. Flew II
sheek my soul He whs had taken
the watermelon had slse taken from
mo something I was never to have
again, and a very wonderful thing II
was-fsith in the goodness Of men.
NY eyes had seen evil. The world
had committed its first offense against
me and my spirit was no longer the
white and beautiful thing It had been.
Still, therein is the beginning OF wis
dom and, looking down the long vista
OF the years, l thank God for the
great harvest of the lost watermelon.
Better things had come In its place
understanding and what more, oft.n
| have vainly tried to estimate. 8r
one thing that sudden revelation Of
the heart of childhood had lifted my
aunt's out Of the cold storage Of n
puritanic spirit. and warmed II Into
new life and opened its door for me.
In the afternoon she sent me over
to Wills to borrow a little tea. l
stopped for few minutes to play
with Henry Wills-a boy not quite
4 yvar older than I. While playing
there / discovered a niec- cf the
rind of my melon in the ,looryard. On
that piece of rind | saw the cross
which l had made one day with my
Ihumb-nail. 1t was intended to in
licate that the melon was solely and
wholly mine. / felt a flush Of anger.
II hate you," / said as I approached
aim.
Il hate you" he answered.
You're snake!" said
We now stood. face TO face and
breast to breast, like pair Of young
'oosters. He gave me a shove and
old me to go home. l gave him a
shove and told him wouldn't l
pushed up close to him again and
We glared into each others eyes.
Suddenly he spat in my face. l
rave him scratch on the forehead
With my flnger-nails. Then we fell
lpon each other and rolled on the
,round and hit and scratched with
cline ferocity.
Mrs. Wills ran out Of the house and
parted U.S. Our blood was hot, and
eaking through the skin of our faces |
! little.
"He pitched on me-" HeAry ex-
,lained.
couldn't speak.
Go right home--this minute---you
rat" said Mrs. Willis in anger.
Here's your tea. Don't you over come
lere again"
took the tea and started down the
Dad weeping. What a bitter day !
hat was for me! I dreaded to face |
NJ aunt and uncle. Coming through |
he grove down by our gate met |
Jncie Peabody. With the keen In |
light of the father of the prodigal son |
% had seen me coming "a long way |
ff' and shouted:
swell, here We bel was kind o.
Worried, Bub."
Then his eye caught the look Of de-
ection in my gait and figure. He hur-
led toward me. He stopped as /
anne sobbing to his feet.
"Why, what's the matterp he asked
entity. as he took the tea cup from
~ hand. and sat down upon his heels.
l could only fall into his arms and
xpress myself in the grief of child
God. He Rugged me close and begged
ie to tell him what was the mat
er.
"That Wills boy stole my melon"
said, and the words came slow with
Dbs.
"Oh. no, he didn't" said Uncle Pea
ody.
'TYes he did. I saw piece o. the
NJ"
well by" said Uncle Peabody,
topping, as usual, at the edge Of the
reclpice.
Hes a snake" added.
"And you fit and he scratched you
p that way?"
II scratched him, too"
'Don't you say word about 1t to
unit Deel. Don't ever speak o. that
isefable melon ag'in to anybody.
GU scoot around to the barn, an
Il be there in a minute and fix We
p"
He went by the road with the tea
nd ran around to the lane and up
the stable. Uncle Peabody met