The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-02-13
"SPUD" GROWING
BY MARGARET M. KEENAN,.


snakelike river Merrimac. could be
found a little town named after the
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 bluebeIls; 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 one
would expect to find rural people, and
such they were. These quiet, loving,
country folk were not TO be left TO
theiF own devices and theory lohg
once John Berry caught sight OF the
little ivy-grown cottage In the valley
overlooking the river.
'FPeace'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 Ii.
Ii was 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? I should think they would
grow good"
bah, potatoes 20 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, it is true, but he man.
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 a first year. Nevertheless
the farmers were just as indignant as
ever. Winter followed 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 apo
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:
''It is just year ago tonight that
i first saw you. Won't you tell me
your nameT
With toss of her head and a leap
across the road. she laughingly re-
piled:
"oh. Potato Girl is enough for
me-"
mot quite" was the sober repl-
Potatoes grow in the earth but you
DON'T
"Oh yes. theX do grow elsewhere"
came the prompt reply. One looked at
the other, hardly knowing what to say,
when John relieved the silence, boldly
saying:
IF this was leap year might think
1t over, but as 1t isn't, is it true po-
tatoes grow down deep in your heart.
too?" She was a good runner, and
consequently John had to chase her
around the well several times before
he captured her for her answer.
The wedding day was set for the
latter part of August, yet John was
not so happy as he would have been
IL he had known her right name. He
had TO comfort himself, however, with
the promise to know Ii the day OF
the wedding. A week before the ap-
pointed day she returned to her win
ter home TO prepare for his reception.
John was Johnny on the spot the day
of the wedding and at an early hour
was ushered into the house by a serv-
ant He was still just as ignorant as
ever as to her name. The revelation
came when she descended the stairs
to greet him. With another leap and
bound, this time a race around
the house, and finally the capture, he
exclaimed:
Edith, how could your" A long
story followed in which Edith told
how. her uncle had praised him for his
pluck, and told her that he was the
kind of a man to have. These city
boys. said he, are no earthly use.
"John, IT is all true" she ended 81
knew 1 could win you back. / am
sorry gave you up before"
A happier couple could not be found
anywhere that day. When they re-
turned TO the country week later a
shower OF potatoes greeted them.
Johns potatoes were one grand sue
cess. They furnished their home and
the farmers around. Many a time
John goes about singing:
Down deep i'm my heart potatoes
grow" for there is such a song. so he
says
Copyright. 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)