Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-06-28
The Missionary Potato.

II wasn't very large church, and it
wasn't nicely furnished. No carpet on the
floor, no frescoing on the walls just plain,
square, bare, frame building, away out in
Southern Illinois. To this church came
James and Stephen Holt every Sunday of
their lives.
On this particular Sunday they stood to-
gether over by the square box stove, waiting
for Sunday-school to commence, and talking
! about the missionary collection that was to
be taken up. 1t was something new for the
poor church they were used to having col
lections taken up for them. However, they
were coming up in the world, and wanted
to begin to give. Not cent had the Holt
boys to give.
"Pennies are as scarce at our house as
hens teeth" said Stephen, showing row of
white, even teeth as he spoke. James looked
doleful. 1t was hard on them, he thought
to be the only ones in the class who had
nothing to give. He looked grimly around
on the old church. What should he spy,
lying in one corner under seat but a
potato
How in the world did that potato get to
church 2" he said, nodding his head toward
it. Somebody must have dropped it that
day we brought things here for the poor
folks. say, Steenie, we might give that
potato. suppose it belongs to us as much
as to anybody"
"That's an idea /" he said eagerly. Let's
do itp
James expected to see roguish look on
his face, but his eyes and mouth said I'm
in earnestl'
Honor bright ?" asked James.
eyes, honor bright"
How Split it in two, and each put a
half on the plate p
No." said Stephen, laughing "we can't
get it ready to give to-day, guess but sup
pose we carry it home and plant it in the
incest spot we can find, and take extra care
of it and give every potato it raises to the
missionary cause ? There'll be another
chance; this isn't the only collection the
church will ever take up, and we can sell
the potatoes to somebody"
Full of this new plan, they went into the
class looking less sober than before and
though their faces were rather red when the
box was passed to them and they had to
shake their heads, they thought of the potato,
and looked at each other and laughed.
Somebody must have whispered to the
earth and the dew and the sunshine about
that potato. You never saw anything grow
likeit Beats ALL" said Farmer Holt, who
was let into the secret. "If bad twenty
acre lot that would grow potatoes in that fash
ion, should make my fortune"
When harvest came, would you believe
that there were forty.one good, sound, splen-
did potatoes IN that hill? Another thing
While the boys were picking them up, they
talked over the grand mass meeting for
missions that was to be held in the church
next Thursday-an all-day meeting. The
little church had had taste of the Joy of
giving, and was prospering as she had not
before. Now for big meeting to which
speakers from Chicago were coming. James
and Stephen had their plans made. They
washed the forty-one potatoes carefully;
they wrote out in their best hand this SEN
tence forty-one times:
"This is missionary potato; its price is
ten cents; it is from the best stock known
1t will be sold only to one who is willing
to take a pledge that he will plant it in
the spring and give every one of its chill
dren to missions. Signed, James and
Stephen Holt" Each shining potato had
one of these slips smoothly pasted to its
plump side.
Didn't those potatoes 60 off, though By
three O'Clock on Thursday afternoon not one
was left, though a gentleman from Chicago
offered to give gold dollar for one of them
just imagine, if you can, the pleasure with
which James and Stephen Holt put each two
dollars and five cents into the collection
that afternoon. I'm sure | can't describe
it to you. But can assure you of one thing
They each have missionary garden, and it
thrives.-The Pansy.