American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-01-10
"SPUD"

BY MARGARET NJ. KEENAN,.


river. The town was Insignificant
enough in name, and would have been
more so had not nature taken a hand
in the matter. Her swaying, sweeping
willows, radiant fields of wheat and
corn, gentle, nodding b~luebells; Grim
son walls of Virginia ~marguerites and
brown-eyed susans were enough to in
spire, not alone artists, but anyone
going this way. In such a place n
would expect to find rural people, and
such they were. These quiet, loving,
country folk were not to be left TO
their own devices and theory long,
once John Berry caught sight of the
little ivy-grown cottage in the valley
overlooking the river.
"Peace's throne was usurped." IN
dignant farmers sought refuge in their
little town hall many an evening, dis
cussing John and his, or what they
thought preposterous idea of potato
growing. Yet they had to put up
with 1t.
1t was a balmy midsummer twilight
when from across the road could be
seen the dim outline of someone mer-
rily whistling, evidently watching one
of the farmers transplant something.
Johns two eyes grew wistful when he
heard someone say:
Don't anyone around here grow po-
tatoes? 7 should think they would
grow good"
bah, potatoesT was the sarcastic
reply. A whispered conversation en-
sued, and then a mop of dark hair
parted the raspberry bush and with
drew quickly as the blue eyes spied
John.
Many an evening John saw the
same figure peering, rather watching
the growth of his potatoes. So often
did he see her that he named her
his Potato Girl" He only saw her
In the evening, 1t is true, but he man
aged to catch her quite accidentally,
yet not without purpose, one evening !;
and from then on the acquaintance
grew. She reminded John of someone
he had once known, but he dared not
ask her lest his dream be upset.
Summer waned, autumn likewise.
His potatoes had yielded a fairly good
crop for n first year. Nevertheless
the farmers were just as indignant as
ever. Winter followed-a long, hard
winter. Spring came at last. John
was undecided as to whether he should
grow potatoes this year or not. His
thoughts wandered back to his "Po-
tato Girl" until he finally decided he
would raise them, for her sake.
The potatoes fiourished again, and
the "Potato Girl" reappeared. One
evening he boldly exclaimed:
1T is just a year ago tonight that
] first saw you. Won't you tell me
your name?"
With a toss of her head and a Leaf
across the road, she laughingly re
piled:
ooh, Potato Girl is enough fol
me-"
mot quite was the sober reply
Potatoes grow in the. earth but YOU
don't"
"Oh yes, tHey do grow elsewhere,
came the prompt reply. One looked a
the other, hardly knowing what to say
when John relieved the silence, bold.
saying:
"If this was leap year might thlnl
Il over, but as 1t isn't, Is it true pc
tatoes grow down deep in your heart
tool" She was a good runner, an
consequently John had to chase he
around the well several times befor
he captured her for her answer.
The wedding day was set for tn
latter part of August, yet John wa
not so happy as he would have bee
If he had known her right name. Fl
had to comfort himself, however, wit
the promise to know 1t the day @
the wedding. A week before the al
pointed day she returned to her VIII
ter home to prepare for his reception
John was Johnny on the spot the da
of the wedding and at an early hOu
was ushered into the house by a SER
ans. He was still just as ignorant 6
ever as to her name. The revelatio
came when she descended the stall
to greet him. With another leap al
n bound, this time a race aroun
the house, and finally the capture, /
exclaimed:
TslllHs DOM NOuih sOuE n "
story followed in which Edith tol
how her uncle had praised him for h
pluck, and told her that he was II
kind Of n man to have. These Gil
boys, said he, are M earthly use.
".John, it is all true" she ended.
knew | could win you back. i a
sorry I gave you up before"
A happier couple could not be four
anywhere that day. When they r
turned to the country a week later
shower of potatoes greeted theI
Johns potatoes were n grand su
cess. They furnished their home al
the farmers around. Many a tin
John goes about singing:
"Down deep in my heart potato
grow" for there is such a song. so
says.
Copyright, 1878. by Mcclure Newspap
Syndicate.)