The Argosy — page 88: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Deacon's Potatoes. 73 “But you are so piteously thin and ill, Francis! And your one arm! It is dreadful.” ‘“‘ Never mind, mother. I shall get strong again. And for my lost arm—it might have been worse.” ‘Francois, mon cher,” uttered the old man, with imploring eyes, ‘you will not go away again ?” “Never, father. I have sown my wild oats, and have come home to settle. Ifmy mother will allow me.” “Ves, I will, my son,” she replied, with a pointed meaning in her tone. ‘“‘ Mademoiselle Anastasie’s going to settle herself also, Francis. With the Farmer Brun.” “It is not fixed ; there’s nothing decided ; I’m not obliged to have him, now my cousin is come home,” eagerly interrupted Mademoi- selle Anastasie. ‘ And I think the Farmer Brun an old bear.” ** You should have discovered that before,” said Madame Latange. “She will make you a dutiful daughter, mother dear,” whispered Francis, “though she is an English girl. Will you not try her?” ‘“‘T suppose I shall have to do so, my son. You may go to-morrow, with my love, and fetch her to dinner.” , ““A nice wife she'll make!” called out Mam’selle Anastasie, red with spite. ‘She'll never look after the eggs. They'll be half lost— youll see! And I know she could not make an omelette if she tried.” ‘* T’ll teach her,” said Madame. | ‘Grace 42 Dieu!” cried old Pére Latange, -& wees 9 ‘THE DEACON’S POTATOES, AN old lady sat in her old arm-chair, With wrinkled face and dishevell’d hair, And pale and hunger-worn features For days and for weeks her only fare, As she sat there in her old arm-chair, Had been nothing but potatoes. And now they were gone : of bad or good Not one was left for the old lady’s food, Of these her stock of potatoes ; And she sigh’d and said, “ What shall I do? Where shall I send, and to whom shall I go _ To get some more potatoes ?” And she thought of the deacon over the way, The deacon so ready to worship and pray, Whose cellar was full of potatoes ; And she said, “ I will send for the deacon to come, He'll not mind much to give me some Of such a store of potatoes.” COMM ) NOOKS (SO) im ==)