1856.] Chinese Potatoe. 427 



"with a stern eye, but with a quivering lip that betrayed the force of 

 his ill suppressed emotions. 



" So you have come back at last," he said. 



" Yes, father, but not as I left you. Father, last Thanksgiving 

 day I went into luy lonely room, and there, kneeling down, addressed 

 myself to Heaven, and solemnly abjured the fatal cup which had 

 brought ruin upon me, and woe upon this once happy family. From 

 that day to this I have not touched a drop. Is my probation enough? 

 Can you now welcome back your son and bless him ? ^' 



"Bless him! Yes, yes, bless you, my dear, dear boy!" said the 

 old deacon, placing his trembling hand on the dark locks of the 

 pleader. "You are welcome, William, though you come only to 

 witness the downfall of our house." 



" Not so, father," answered the young man joyously, "I have come 

 back to save you — to atone f ir my prodigality, for all my errors. It 

 was this hope that sustained me in the lone heart of the Sierra Nevada, 

 when I was panting with thirst and dying with hunger. Thoughts of 

 home, of you and mother, and of Grod's angels, enabled me to con- 

 quer fortune. I have come back with a store of gold — you shall not 

 be a beggar in your old age ; father, we will keep the farm." 



After this it is unnecessary to add that joy entered the old home- 

 stead. It was a chastened joy, for the shadows of the past yet min- 

 gled with the sunshine of the present'; but the felicity which attended 

 the prodigal's return was enough to compensate for many sorrows. 



DIOSCOREA BATATAS, IMPERIAL RICE-WHITE VARIETY. 



"We take the following from ^^Frince's Cafalorjue." The subject in 

 question is well worthy of attention. America has given to the world 

 the Potato and Indian Corn. Might we not expect, then, in the 

 course of '-'compensations" ordained in the orderings of Providence, 

 that Asia should contain in her remote and fertile regions, esculents 

 and fruits of great value to mankind. And since that venerable and 

 mysterious Empire of China has already given to the civilized world 

 its social beverage of Tea, ought she not accompany it with an escu- 

 lent for food? And when our prejudices would raise obstacles and 



