hawin' tobacco myself; but I've tole 'em, I don't know how many
times, that ef they chaw it'll stunt 'em in their growth. And I've got
several of 'em that was smokin' cigarettes on the sly to promise me
they'd quit. So I don't figger ez I've done them boys any real harm by
goin' round with 'em. And I believe ef you was to ast 'em they'd all
tell you the same, suh.

"Now about them watermelons: Sence this gentleman has brung them
watermelons up, I'm goin' to tell you-all the truth about that too."

He cast a quick, furtive look, almost a guilty look, over his shoulder
toward the rear of the courtroom before he went on:

"Them watermelons wasn't really stole at all. I seen Mister Dick Bell
beforehand and arranged with him to pay him in full fur whutever damage
mout be done. But, you see, I knowed watermelons tasted sweeter to a boy
ef he thought he'd hooked 'em out of a patch; so I never let on to my
little pardners yonder that I'd the same ez paid Mister Bell in advance
fur the melons we took out of his patch and et in the woods. They've all
been thinkin' up till now that we really hooked them watermelons. But ef
that was wrong I'm sorry fur it.

"Mister Sublette, you jest now said that I was fritterin' away my
property on vain foolishment. Them was the words you used--'fritterin''
and 'vain foolishment.' Mebbe you're right, suh, about the fritterin'
part; but ef spendin' money in a certain way gives a man ez much
pleasure ez it's give me these last two months, and ef the money is
his'n by rights, I figger it can't be so very foolish; though it may
'pear so to some.

"Excusin' these here clothes I've got on and these here boots, which
ain't paid fur yet, but are charged up to me on Felsburg Brothers'
books and Mister M. Biederman's books, I didn't spend only a dollar a
day, or mebbe two dollars, and once three dollars in a single day out of
whut was comin' to me. The Judge here, he let me have that out of his
own pocket; and I paid him back. And that was all I did spend till here
three days ago when that there circus come to town. I reckin I did spend
a right smart then.

"My money had come frum the old country only the day before; so I went
to the bank and they writ out one of them pieces of paper which is
called a check, and I signed it--with my mark; and they give me the
money I wanted--an even two hundred dollars. And part of that there
money I used to pay fur circus tickets fur all the little boys and
little