Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1900-11-22
The CandIeVOOd Potato Circle.


wood mission church had assembled
in the yestry to consider the propo-
sition made BY Squire Carter with
reference to the raising Of the church
debt. The church treasurer, Miss
Sophia Kinsman, after all other re-
sources had been exhausted, and it
seemed for the want Of five hun.
dred dollars the mortgage would be
foreclosed, had applied to the more
or less skepticsl Squire Carter for
assistance in behalf Of the church,
anu he, stroking his long beard,
had, much to the treasurer's sur
prise, declared that he would seri-
ously consider the case, and reply
one way or the other on the follow
ing morning.
1t was his letter OF reply which
the sewing circle listened to, and
which raised such a whirlwind Of
Indignation, that had the Squire,
soldier that he was, been there, he
would certainly have had serious
thoughts Of retreating.
CANDLEwOoD, April 3, 1897.
Treasurer Of Mission Church
would state that in reply TO
your application for financial assist
ance in behalf OF the church, that
! have, after due reflection, decided
to assist you. Provided that the
young ladies OF your sewing.circle
will plant, cultivate, harvest and
market a crop Of potatoes. will
prepare, free OF expense, two acres
OF my land, and furnish the seed.
Yours sincerely,
JONI s. CARTER.
"The horrid wretch 7" exclaimed
Deacon Adams's daughter, wrath.
fully, scarcely able TO restrain her
tears.
"A potato.cirele " shrieked the
president.
All had some word Of indignation
to utter. Aud il any conclusion
was to be drawn from their re.
marks, it certainly was that the
Squire was the king OF churls. How
ever, the wrathful utterances pres
emily subsidized, only low mutter.
ing now and then, like the belated
popping Of frecrackers after tho
bunch has gone of, sounding here
and there.
Let's turn the sewing. circle into
a p9tato.oirCle just for fun, and for
the sake Of the money, said the
treasurer, at length. We wiIlshow
Squire Carter that he made big
mistake when he proposed this,
thinking that we hadn't the pluck
totake it up
Never was motion more quick.
ly carried than the one proposed.
There vas a way to get even with
the Soul }, aud the girls saw it.
To say that the Squire was sur
prised when Miss Sophia Kinsman
called the next morning and in
formed him that the sewing. circle
had accepted his offer, bat fairly
expresses his state OF mind. lie
was assounded, and admitted to
himself that he had made a mistake
when be had called the society
troop Of beggars, who wculd beg
but not work. His opinion Of the
girls was summed up in his one de-
claration, that they hadn't grit
enough Tor Banu'Dauk,
At first the Squire had thought
to give the two-acre lot Of old pas
ture land in the rear of the stable,
but when he looked down into
those two honest blue eyes be sud
denly changed his mind. Much to
his chagrin, he found that there
was very suspicious mist gather
10 before his eyes, and before be
reaized what he had done be had
promised that they should have the
south slope, the best two acres on
his entire farm.
The farm hands wondered why
the Squire was SO particular that
this yeSpg should be extra heavy
rlowing sthat land, and that the
a;ble. Then, be as light as pos.
his head man fche always sent
were required on the>tever seeds
: year he made a special tf'Nut this
J. twentv.fve miles, and bOugh~ue
ty.fve bushels Of extra fine vars
- oeed notatoes.