The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-10-19
WEBSTER'S POTATO TALK.
His Offhand Lecture to a Party of Trav-
cling Companions.

cling Companions.
One can always spend an interest
ing hour with that fine old gentle
man, E. D. Grafton, the we'll known
water colorist. Sitting at his easel he
INDUCED the following personal rec
election of Daniel Webster and his
potato talk"
1t was in the year 1849, the year
of the gold fever, that l was on a
train returning to Philadelphia from
Harrisburg, and Daniel Webster was
in the same car. Every one on board
not only felt the influence of Web
ster's overpowering personality, but
the majesty of his thoughtful look
and speech as well as that grandeur
of simplicity in the familiar ease
shown toward some plain but intel
ligent farmers whom he was enter
tanning, while they attentively lis
tened to his agreeable talk upon the
subject of the simple and unambi-
tious potato. Others upon the train
hearing of Mr.. Wesbter's p%resenceo on
board, before his talk was yer he
had an audience of nearly a car full
of people. Said one of the farmers
from Lancaster: Have you noticed
how the Meshanocks and the MERGERS
are losing their foOthold and becom-
ing shockingly bad and tasteless?
They are not dry and mealy, as they
were a few seasons ago. l believe
they are running out" Then some
one remarked that it was almost
time for new varieties to appear.
Mr.. Webster at this point took a
modest hand in the talk. Apologetic-
ally excusing himself, he told his
listeners how he had worked upon
his fathers farm in his youth, and
also upon his own at Franklin, N.
H, and he had had some experience
with the potato; knew something
about it, although perhaps not
enough to hurt, but he considered
himself the better from having had
some agricultural experience. Hav-
ing gained their attention, he now
launched into a pleasant little potato
history and held their interest in
the subject until the end. Mr. Web
ster went back to the remote times
of the close of the fifteenth century,
when the potato was a scrub plant,
and the crow of the Pinta, with Co.
lumbus, had landed upon the west.
ern continent and found comfort in
it as an article of food; how it was
afterward carried to Europe by the
Spaniards and cultivated, with the
tomato, merely as Il garden curios'
ity; how Sir Francis Drake, Haw.
kins and Raleigh in 1923 transplant
ed it in Ireland and England, all the
time undertaking its merit, anC
how long a while it took to awaken
within tho public mind a knowledge
of its worth; how finally q comics
sion was cXtOrtcd from European
high authority that the potato an(
Indian corn were tho two creates
blessings America ever gave to thu
world; how, Notwithstanding al
this, they wcro still used as food 70
cattle and horses, though in Il pincl
it was thought they might he'll
bridge owe a starving people VIII
had met with failure in the crop o
cereals.
Mr.. Webster related that even il
Washington's day tho Father of Hi
Country had proclaimed loudl,
against the vile land vulgar hors
food" as he called it, known the
and now as cornmcal, and which wa
not considered good enough for til
soldier. Mr.. Wesbter spoke of til
German and French people, VIII
Wouldn' eat either of these article
of food; that, when Antoine Parmer
tier, a philanthropist, had helped o
and improved their cultivation an
urged their daily use, Johnny CrG
paud wouldn't listen to him. FINAL
the government felt the need of aiC
ing this business, and the gendarme
We're placed around the potato field
plentifully planted with them, as
to guard a highly precious commot
ity, and Louis XIV ordered the potat
blossom to be worn by tho court Ii
dies. This done, the tide turned i
favor of the poor, prosecuted potato
and under the lofticr name of pomm
de terre it came out of the fire of o.
position cooked, as it is now said I
be by the French cuisine, in SON
800 different ways, By this compu
sorry recognition it now holds a
honored place upon the table, an il
dispensable adjunct. Interrupted o.
casionally, but respectfully, howeve
by some questions his hearers no
and then put to him, Mr.. Webstt
cheerfully continued his potato tai
for nearly an hour, and it was an a
mirable help to le~ssening the mono
ony of the trip, | can assure you.-
Cincinnati Times-Star.
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