The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-01-04
WEBSTER'S POTATO TALK.
His Ofhand Lecture to a Party of Tray
cling Companions.

eilng companions.
One can always spend an interest.
ing hour with that fine old gentle
man, e. D. Grafton, the veil 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 1S49, the year
of the gold fever, that I 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 presence on
board, before his talk was over he
had an audience Of nearly a a full
of people. Said ono of the farmers
from Lancaster: "Ifave you noticed
how the Mcshanocksand the Mercers
are losing their foothold and becom,
ing shockingly bad and tasteless?
They are not dry and mealy, as they
were a few seasons ago, | believe
they 7 running out" Then some
ono 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 at Franklin, n
H., and he had had some experience
with tho 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 tho close Of the fifteenth century,
when the potato was q scrub plant,
ard the 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
aftcrward carried to Europe by the
SDaniardS and cultivated, with the
tomato, merely as Il garden curios-
itv; how Sir Francis Drake, Haw-
kins and Raleigh in 1923 transplant
ed it in Ireland and England, all the
time undertaking its merit, and
how long a while it took to awaken
within tho public mind a knowledge
Of its worth; how finally a comics
sion was extorted from European
high authority that tho potato and
Indian corn We're the two greatest
blessings America ever gave to the
world; how, Notwithstanding ali
this, they were still used as food for
cattle and horses, though i'll q pinch
it was thought they might help
bridge over a starving people who
had met with failure in tho crop OF
cereals.
Mr.. Webster related that even in
Washington's day the Father of Ills
Country had proclaimed loudly
against tho vile land vulgar horse
food" as he called it, known then
and now as cornmeal, and which was
not considered good enough for the
soldier. Mr.. Wesbter spoke of the
German and French people, who
wouldn't eat either of these articles
of food; that, when Antoine Parmen
tier, a philanthropist, had helped OF
and improved their cultivation an(
urged their daily use, Johnny Ora
paud wouldn't listen to him. Finally
the government felt the need of aid
ing this business, and the gendarmes
were placed around the potato field
; plentifully planted with them, as i
. to guard a highly precious commod
ity, and Louis XIV ordered the potato
blossom to be worn by the court la
T dies. 1his done, the tide turned il
favor of the poor, prosecuted potato
and under the loftier nance of poLnm'
de terre it came out of the fire of op
: position cooked, as it is now said t.
, be by the French cuisine, in som
800 different ways. By this compul
i, sorry recognition it now holds al
honored place upon the table, an in
dispens;lble adjunct. Interrupted oc
casionally, but respectfully, however
t by some questions his hearers nov
g and then put to him, Mr.. Webste
cheerfully continued his potato tall
for nearly an hour, and it WAS an I'D
mirable help to lessening tho
|, ony of the trip, | can assure you, =
q Cincinnati Times-Star.
I -
Q a Jack of All Trades.
q f'lo Raw Mr. Rndpll WIN us,1 I