Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1916 — Southern Colonel Had to Have Sweet Potatoes [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Southern Colonel Had to Have Sweet Potatoes

VANS AS CITY, MO.—Stately, erect, the long ends of his white mustache K. drooping almost to his coat lapels, he was the very picture of the southern colonel. And the bell “hops” at the Coates house stood at respectful . attention as he walked to the desk.

“Sir, has a package arrived fo’ J. D. M. Parker?” came the southern drawL ; It was the fourteenth time in two days that Colonel Parker, Jackson, Miss., had asked that question Each previous time the colonel had turned away with keen disappointment on his face. This time the clerk was as much interested in the package as the colonel. There was a smile on the face

of the clerk. He produced a parcel post package, and with an “At last, it’s here, colonel.” “A-a-a-h!” drawled the colonel. No one could mistake the sigh of satisfaction. ~ Interest centered about the package as the colonel began undoing the wrapper. The clerk leaned forward. The key boy looked over his shoulder and the telephone operator left her board. Then out of the package rolled eight long, plump, yellow sweet potatoes. Amazement, flUed all faces except the colonel. With another long •*A-a-a-h,” he looked up and smiled. “Send them to the kitchen. I want them cooked fo’ breakfast,” smiled the colonel. “You see, the last time I was No’th, I got hungry fo’ sweet 'taters. But—ugg! (the colonel made a w;ry face) you’ No’the'nehs don’t know what sweet 'taters are. - t \ . “Why, sweet ’taters I get up No’th are fa travesty on the fair name of the South —a travesty. Send them down to the cook fo’ my breakfast.” Of course, the chef howled. Who ever heard of sweet potatoes for breakfast? But Th the breakfast room the colonel sat solidly and waited for his sweet “taters.” —*s