The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-01-02

He had no sooner said it than a
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 soenbout
that old melon" said she. ut amt
worth it. Come with me. Pm going
TO give you present-ayes I BET"
1 was still crying when she took
me to her trunk, and offered the
grateful assuagement of candy and
belt, all embroidered with blue and
white beads.
snow 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 abomination Of the Lord was
in her look and manner. How it
shook my soul! He who had taken
the watermelon had also taken from
me something 1 was never to have
again, and a very wonderful thing it
was-faith in the goodness of men.
My eyes had seen evil. The world
had committed it's 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, 1 thank God for the
great harvest of the lost watermelon.
Better things had come In It's place
understanding and what more, often
l 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.
stopped for a few minutes to pay
with Henry Wills-a boy not quite
a year older than 1. While playing
there 1 discovered piece of the
rind of my melon in the dooryard. On
that piece Of rind I saw the cross
which had made one day with my
thumb-nail. 1t was intended to in
dictate that the melon was solely and
wholly mine. I felt flush Of anger.
II hate you." said as approached
him.
II hate you" he answered.
You're snake!" said
We now stood, face to face and
D. east to breast, like pair of young
ROSTERS. He gave me shove and
told me to go home. gave him a
shove and told him wouldn't. ]
pushed up close to him again and
we glared into each others eyes.
Suddenly he spat in my face. !
gave him q scratch on the forehead
with my finger-nails. Then we fell
upon each other 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
leaking through the skin of our faces
a little.
"He pitched on me-" Henry ex-
planned.
I couldn't 81 eak.
"Go right home this minute-yOu
brat !" said Mrs. WILLIE in anger.
"IIere's your tea. Don't sou ever oJme
here again."
/ took the tea and started down the
road weeping. What a bitter day
that was for me! dreaded to face
my aunt. and uncle. Coming through
the grove down by our gate I met
Uncle Peabody. With the keen in
sight of the father of the prodigal son
he 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 matter?" he asked
gently, as he took the tea cup f<om
my hand. and sat down upon his heels.