Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1899 — Something of a Melon Eater. [ARTICLE]

Something of a Melon Eater.

The town of McCoysburg owns the champion water melon eaiter of county, beyond a donbt, and no less an individual that Unole Alfred McCoy is authority for the statements here given of this melon eatsr’s exploits. The person in question is described by Uncle Mao as “that Peregrine that talks way down in bis g—izzard.” At McCoysburg lately he undertook to eat a 20 pound water-melon at one sitting on a wager. This he did very easily and quickly and when it was finished he called for * another melon the same size, and that also was quickly disposed of. Peregrine was carefully weighed before beginning on the melons, and immediately after he had finished them and was found to tip the beam at just 24 pounds heavier at the second weighing than at the first. It is stated that a circle of melon-hungry fellows stood around, with months and eyes both watering, watching the two melons disappear, but Peregrine told them, between the bites, that much as he would like to divide with tnem, there was a bet at stake, and not the smallest portion of the melons could they have.