The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-01-23

was seven years old when Uncle
Peabody gave me the watermelon
seeds. I 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 to put in the
ground Didn't you know it was aIive?"
"Alive!" 1 exclaimed.
alive" said he. iii 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. 1 watched it every day and
by and by two vines came up. One
sickened and died in dry weather. IN
Gle Peabody said that 1 must water
the other every day. 1 did it faith
fully and the vine throve.
1t was hard work, I thought, to go
down into the garden, night and morn
ing, with my little pail full of water,
but uncle said that I should get my
pay when the melon was ripe. 1 had
also to keep the wood-box full and
feed the chickens. They were odious
tasks. When I asked Aunt Deel what
I should get for doing them she an
swered quickly:
''NOspanks and bread and butter
ayes r'
When asked what were ''nospanks"
she told me that they were part of
the wages of good child. I was
hotter T@aid for NV zorro of tho x1-o tor
melon vine, for its growth was mea-
sured with string every day and kept
me interested. One morning found
five blossoms on it. picked one and
carried it to Aunt Deel. Another 1
destroyed in the tragedy of catching
a bumbIebee which had crawled into
its cup. In due time three small mel
Ons appeared. When they were as
big as a baseball picked two Of them
One 1 tasted and threw away as
ran to the pump for relief. The other
I hurled at a 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 1
learned that a reputation is about the
worst thing that q watermelon can
acquire while it is on the vine. 1 in
vited everybody that came to the
house to go and see my watermelon.
They looked it over and said pleas
ant things about it. When / was a
boy people used to treat children and
watermelOns with a like sOlfcitude.
Both were a subject for jests and
produced similar reactions in the hu-
man countenance.
AT last Uncle Peabody agreed with
me that it was about time to pick the
melon. L decided to pick it Immediate
Iy after meeting on Sunday, so that
could give it to my aunt and uncle
at dinner-time When we got home
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 1 got my little
wheelbarroW and ran with it to the
end of that path. There I found
nothing but broken vines The melon
had vanished. / ran back to the
house almost overcome by a feeling
Of alarm, for had thought long of
that hour of pride when I should
aunt and uncle.
Uncle Peabody" I shouted. my
melon is gone"
well, 1 van!' said he, somebody
must "a stole it."
But it was my melon said with
a trembling voice.
YES, and I 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
asked:
They'll bring it back, won't theyF'
"Neverl'' said Uncle Peabody, I'm
afraid they've ct it up"
He had no sooner said it than
cry broke from my lips. and I sank
down, upon the grass moaning and
sobbing. I lay amidst the ruins of
the simple faith Of childhood. It was
as if the world and al It's 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, sit amt
worth it. Come with me. I'm going
to give you q present I bel"
I was still crying when she took
me to her trunk, and offered the
grateful Arrangement of 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-ayesI They're
snakesI Everybody hates 'em an
I stamps on 'em when they come in
sight-ayes !"
The denomination Of the Lord was
| in her look and manner. How it
shook my soulI He who had taken
the watermelon had also taken from
me something was never to have
/ again, and a very wonderful thing it
was-faith In the goodness of men.
/ Ny eyes had seen evil. The world
had committed its first ofrense 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