The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-01-25

Peabody gave ME the watermelon
seeds. put one Of them in my mouth
and bit it.
1T appears to me there's an awful
draft BLOWN down your throat said
Uncle Peabody. You amt no bust
ness eatin a melon seed
why" was my query.
Cause it was made - put in the
ground. Didn't you know it was alive|
Alive" l exclaimed.
Alive" said he. In show ye.'
He put a number of the seeds in
the ground and covered them. and
said that part of the garden should
be- mine. l watched it every day and
by and by two vines came up. one
Sickpned and died in dry weather. I'm
Gle Peabody said that | must water
the other every day. | did il faith
fully and the vine thrOve.
II was hard work. | thought. 10 20
down into the garden. night and morn
ing, with my little pail full If water,
nut un.ie said that | should get my
pay when the melon was ripe. l had
also To keep the wOod-bOX full and
feed the chickens. They were Odious
tasks. When | asked Aunt Deel what
| should get for doing them she an
swerea quickly:
"Nospanks and bread and butter
ayes -
When [ asked what were "nOSpanks"
she told me that they We're part of
the wages of a good child. | was
better paid for my care of the water
melon vine, for its growth was mea-
Sured with a string every day and kept
me interested. one morning l found
five blossoms on it. | picked one and
carried il TO Aunt Deel. Another l
destroyed in the tragedy of catching
humblebee which had crawled into
its cup. In due time three small mel
0ns appeared. WhenI they were as
big as baseball picked two of them.
one l tasted and threw away as l
ran 10 the pump for relief. The other
| hurled at Il dog on my way TO
school.
So that last melon on the vine had
my undivided affection. 1t grew in
size and reputation, and soon
learned that a reputation is about the
worst thing that a watermelon can
acquire while it is on the vine. l III
vited everybody that came to the
house to go and see my watermelon.
They looked it over and said pleas
ant things about IL. When | was
boy people used to treat children and
watermelOns with a like sOlicitude
Both were a subject for jests and
produced similar reactions in the hui
man countenance.
A: last Uncle Peabody agreed with
me that il was about time TO pick the
melon. = decided 10 pick ii Immediate
ly after meeting on Sunday, so that
| could give it to my aunt and uncle
ut dinner-ime. When we got home
l ran for the garden. My feet and
those of our friends and neighbors
had literally worn a path to the mel
on. In eager haste l got my little
wheelbarrOw and ran with it to the
end of that path. There | found
nothing but broken vines The melon
had vanished. l ran back to the
house almost overcome by a feeling
Of alarm, for 1 had thought long of
that hour of pride when / should
bring the melon and present it to my
aunt and uncle.
Uncle Peabody" 1 shouted. my
melon is gone"
We'll, l van." said he, somebody
must "a stole it,
But it was my melon" 1 said with
trembling voice.
Yes. and yum it's too bad! But,
Bart, you amt learned yit that there
are wicked people IN the world who
come and take what don't belong to
EN-"
There were tears in my eyes when
I asked:
They'll bring it back. won't they?"
Never" said Uncle Peabody, I'm
afraid they've ct it up"
He had no sooner said it than q
cry broke from my lips. and l sank
down upon the grass moaning and
sobbing. l 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 a 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, at amt
worth it. Come with me. I'm going
TO give you a present-ayes l be-"
l was still crying when she took
me to her trunk. and offered the
grateful assuagement - candy and
a 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-ayes
The abOminatiOu of the Lord was
in her look and manner. How ii
shook my soul, He who had taken
the watermelon had also taken from
me something l was never TO have
again. and a very wonderful thing 1t
was-faith in the goodness OF men.
My eyes had seen evil. The world