The Argosy — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

74 The Deacon's Potatoes. And the deacon came over as fast as he could, Thinking to do the old lady some good, But never thought once of potatoes ; He ask’d her directly to tell her chze/ want, And she, simple soul, expecting a grant, Immediately answerd, “ Potatoes.” But the deacon’s religion went not that way, He was more accustom’d to preach and to pray, Than to give of his hoarded potatoes ; So, not hearing, of course, what the old lady said, He rose to pray with uncover’d head ; But she only thought of potatoes. He pray’d for patience, for wisdom and grace, But when he pray’d, “ O Lord give her peace,” She audibly sigh’d “ Give potatoes ;” And at the end of each prayer that he said, He heard, or he thought that he heard, in its stead, The same request for potatoes. The deacon was troubled—knew not what to do; *Twas embarrassing, very, to have her act so About “those carnal potatoes !” So ending his prayer, he started for home; As the door closed behind him, he heard a deep groan, “* Oh, give to the hungry, potatoes!” And that groan followed him all the way home; In the midst of the night it haunted his room, “Oh, give to the hungry, potatoes !” He could bear it no longer—arose and dress’d, From his well-fill’d cellar taking in haste A bag of his best potatoes, Again he went to the widow’s lone hut, Her sleepless eyes she had not yet shut, But there she sat in her old arm-chair, With the same wan features, the same sad air; So, entering in, he poured on the floor A bushel or more from his goodly store Of the very best potatoes. “ Now,” said the deacon, “ shall we pray ?” “ Yes,” said the widow, “ zow you may ;” And he kneel’d him down on the sanded floor, Where he had poured his goodly store— The widow’s heart leap’d up for joy, Her face was haggard and wan no more. And such a prayer the deacon pray’d As never before his lips essay’d : No longer embarrass’d, but free and full, He pour’d out the voice of a liberal soul, And the widow responded aloud, “ Amen !” But said no more of potatoes. And would you, who hear this simple tale, Pray for the poor, and praying, “ prevail,” Then preface your prayers with alms and good deeds ; Search out the poor, with their cares and tieir needs; Pray for peace, and grace, and heavenly food, For wisdom and guidance ; for these are all good But don’t forget the Ho/a/oes. COMIGE JOO <S (E(0) m ‘