The Lambertville record., 1926-10-28

A dimnutive pickaninny newsboy crawled thru
the hedge at of Mercer University campus.
go souirned and puffed along, rolling a small rind-
,potted watermelon which he had just bought at a
bargain sale for five cents. few bedraggled news
papers we're hugged to his breast, and when he had
gained eclusion behind the hedge he carefully stuck
these into a crotch of of the shrubs
with deft hands he broke the mellon one
knee and dug his fist into the heart of il. Finishing
the heart he began breaking the rnd into small pieces
and hungriy gnawing the meat from them even down
into the white of the rnd His face was soon smenred
from ear ear with surprising deftness the seedS
we're being elected from the corners of his lips IN a
steady stream as the red being guzzled thru
The front of his big mouth,
Another pickaninny had observed him entering the
hedge with the watermelon, and he screwed courage
enough to creep in after him. He watched hungry, un
observed as the wolfed the melon. Finally he
asked timidy. "Gf piece, will yo'?
The newsboy turned frog-like eyes him, but
iidn't stop eating. From behind piece of rind ne
numbled, "Huh! Go buy yo'sef millyun like All
lionel"
"Ah amt got money fer ter buy one, re
oled the newcomer in a wistfu tone.
"Den go sell yo'sef some papers like All done an
git yosef money" and the maunching went right
tong without the slightest lost motion
"Ah doan know how" was the reply in pitifu
one and he continued watching while his lips drooed
with craving Finally he screwed up courage and
asked "Den won't yo gi me a piece o de rim ne
begged humbly.
"Ain't gwine be no rim mumbled the eater with
his mouth full and running over.
The other little negro couldn't stand it any longer
His ebony face puckered with selfpity and he began
to cry Finally sobs shook his weakened form, and as
they mounted in intensity he let out screech that
sound like the wall of lost soul
Doc Bloom, cher-gardener at work on the
campus nearby, dropped his rake with startled look
and started shambling run toward the oerner OF
the campus from which the wall had come The
newsboy heard him coming and peeking thru the hedge
decided it was time to move Grabbing his newspapers
and hastily collecting the ungnawed rinds he slid out
of the hedge and gone like streak of lightning
The other little negro too engrossed in his
weeping to hear Doc, and with his eyes blinded by
tears he didn't see the newsboy vacate. And so Doc
was upon him before he realized it. That worthy old
darky caught him by the shoulder "Hyah! Hyah!
Whut's de mattah?"
Fright dried the little negros tears He sat silent
with an occasional dry sob.
Docs heart warmed to the little fellow. Oats
all right honey. Doan cry mo-. All amt gwne hurt
yo." And then he the watermelon rinds and the
scattered seeds about the Did somebody take
yo matermilyun away frum yo?
Encouraged by the kindly tones the little pckann-
ny told him the story and ended up with wall,
"An' Abs so hongry dat nah belly thinks nah thoat's
cutl"
Doc chuckled "Whut's yo' name, honey"
Jasper" he sobbed
"Whuts yo paws name? 2"
"Aint got no paw" the dismal reply
"Whuts yo maws name?"
"Ant got no nav neider, he sobbed.
"An't yo' got no folks a-tall?" Doc continued
"Nawsuh! All amt got folks o kind
Wen yo' sees me, yo done seed de whole family"
Doc took him kindly by the hand. "Come on honey
We's gwine buy a watermillyun"