The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-10-18
A SPUD JOKE AND A HALF


Oscar Neumann and Mark Shaver
{ have been living neighbors to each
other between Riverside an
Thomas, and their farms had only a
road between them Both of them
raised potatoes and each of them had
a potato digger of the same make
They have been raising better spuds
than some people and thereby made
On extra dollar now and again. In
breeding up their seed and getting
parts of their, fields certified, they
went thru the rows looking at each
plant and yanking out every one that
was not of standard size and shape.
Each of these odd ones was treated
as a rogue and hence the use of the
expression, "Rogueing potatoes,
but that is no part of the joke and a
half we started to tell you about.
1t seems that Mark is doing some
farming this year at another place,
but left his potato digger at the old
stand until he got ready to use It,.
Something happened few days ago
that gave each of these spud heroes
chance to see themselves as others
see them. Last fall Oscar, he of the
pleasing smiles and good nature
overworked his potato digger dig
ging spuds for Frank Starkweather:
and on putting the machine away for
the winter he told himself and his
horses that there must be some new
parts put on the digger before start
ing to use it in the fall of 1928. Then
he pledged himself to make up list
of the repairs needed and get Jim
Martin of the implement house to
order them early so he would not
have to telegraph and be waiting and
stewipg around in anxiety when he
ought to be using the machine in the
field. All of these things Oscar
faithfully performed, giving the dig
ger the once over in July, 1928, and
turning the list over to Jim Martin
together with a good cigar and re-
questing early shipment. In due
time and in regular form the said
Martin made delivery of all and
sundry the parts listed and Oscar put
them on the digger some hot day in
August and persuaded himself that
he was a thrifty man full of fore
thought The machine was ready to
go, and Oscar was looking out for an
20 be shipped to one of his business
;Duds when he can get them packed
md shipped by some good scout he
AN depend on.
In due course of time Oscar REL
,eived such an order and went forth
Happy, to hitch four horses to the
ligger and bring the four cars of
puds into the light and the sacks
When he hitched onto the digger, 10 /.
here was no drive chain on it, and
lie was dumfounded or something of
he kind. The chain was there when
e put on the new parts, for he ex-
mined it and pronounced it good.
may not have occurred to Oscar
hat Mark Shaver had also been
boxing out for sale of early spuds
nd may have beaten him to it and
cen operating his own digger to get
hem out. At this point in the story :
ur memory is little hazy, but Oscar :
OF a chain somewhre and went on .
18th his digging without much loss ..
time, and shipped the four cars. :
Did he take the chain back to c
here he got it? Well, you know \
ow it is when a man has caught a l
ain by running the last three or q
,ur miles at high speed, he doesn't h
IN up and down the asles in the y
ain just because he had to run to 7
Itch it. Not he. Well, neither did r
scar. He was so busy smiling and o
lending that spud money he did not f.
ink of the the discomfort of the, h
lain over there in the field on the "
rong digger. "
Chapter Two u
Mark Shawver, so the story goes II
as feeling greatly annoyed recently Il
i'd went over to Oscars place and 8
oke out with the remark that some W
blank blank had stolen the IL
i've chain off of his potato digger
ID he was all hooked up and no d