Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1845-01-03
From Cisi's General Western Advertiser.
BULL FROGS.
FORTY THOUSAND TAME FROGS

mouB by WT. w lSes our Minister 10 bra.
zil, and others from the U. S. fligale Con.
stitution, on the 4!h Of July last, is desert
bed at great length and with much beauty
and vivaciay of style, in a letter in the
Boston Atlas, of Monday, by Lieut.. ]. B.
Dale, one CT the party. Among other no.
table things celebrated, the writer notices
huge cislern in the richly embellished
garden Of The American Consul, from
whence at twilight, issued the music Of
forty Thousand rslne frogs. cultivated win
care for their musical talents. Tines.
l extract the above as an introduction to
my experience on the subject of Frogs
Any person who has passed by ponds or
marshes in the appropriate season, that
would listen 10 the variety and extent Of
the music made by these amphibia must
suppose that it was produced by one hum
dred times that number of the actual per-
formers in the concert; and lie. any one
employ boys in such regions to catch them
for table use. as is common in certain
parts, he will find the numbers come far
short of his estimate. The forty thousand
in the extract from the Times if redused
10 an actual count would probably no.
reach fifty. The following narrative will
shed some light on the subject.
Mr.. George Sutton. formerly of Pitts
burgh, and we'll known there in that city.
some thirty years since. as practical jo>
ker, was extensively in business in 1914,
aud during that year and the next was in
his employ as clerk, in which capacity
Witnessed many amusing scenes, in which
he usually bore conspicuous part. tie
had his periodical subjects of boring. and
a, The time 10 which l allude, his great
hobby for that purpose was bull frogs.
Among our customers of that date. was
a long, slab-sided, gangling fellow from
the Western Reserve, named Ovialt. who
brought US in three or four times year,
an assortment Of beeswax, ginseng. pop
ularly called sang, feathers, and other no.
tons in the line Of trade. He had made
his purchases. and was proposing a con-
tract for potash, as means of charging
his dealings, and finishing by regretting
lha. he had noifing else TO supply us with.
On this hint, Sutton spake, for il was like
bringing Gre from the flint, single stroke
sufficed.
Have you any bull frogs in your nei-
ghborhood would no! mind taking
few thousand put up in barrels, if you
could supply them
Boil frogs Mr.. Sutton, what do you
want with bull frogs!'
" by sir, have correspondent down
at Baton Rouge, who has left standing
order with me for ten barrels, and can't
find any place where can &c. it filed. |
would make it worth any mans while 10
contract with me for the article
Well, now. Mr.. Sutton, vow to graz
cious there's million in our neighbor>
hood-but you are quizzing me, | snore.
Upon my honor replied Sutton, /
am perfectly serious. will take ten or
five or even two. and give flty dollars a
barrel TO any gentleman who would cons
tract with me-
Ovia,,'s eyes sparkled at the prospect.
We'll, Mr.. Sutton, if you say so, will
put you up ten barrels-perhaps your
friend may want more-and ! hope you
will give me the preference. if so. But
you are not boring me, MIR. Sutton, !
hope.'
My dear sir said Sutton, 'rest assn
red that have long been at loss 10 get
the order filled, and am perfectly serious.
Mr.. Watrendorf-his book keeper-was
directed on the spot to draw the memo.
randum in contract form. and Oviat. fold
ing it away carefully in his pocket book,
and doubtless calculating deeply on ma
king brilliant speculation out of US, as
he seized the reins and sprang TO the seat
of his Yankee wagon, said:
.Don't forget if your friend should want
l,centy barrels, 10 let me know in ,ime.'
We heard nothing from Ovia.t for
months. and by the time he mace his re-
appearance in Pittsburgh, Sutton had
some new subject on the carpet, and had
lost sigh. of the bull frogs. No. SO with
me. anticipated something amusing.
being well aware, as was Sutton. in ma
king the contract, that by the time the
frogs would be caught, the millions would
shrink into hundreds. l was silent, how
ever. until Ovialt's purchases had been
made, his produce credited, the accoun,
adjusted, and himself ready to start. |
then remarked: 3. saaoa sesia s4
| 'One thing is forgot. Do you recollec,
our contract, Mr.. Sutton, at the Baton
Rogue house. for bull frogs!' 3a' isis
Il do DECLARE said Sutton, Il had al>
mos. forgot. What about il, Mr.. Ovia,t.
Are they ready?' g.fsss1-.ssa u {
+ The contractor looked as if ne could
have crept through an anger hole. He
began 10 wfimper like a school boy ex-
pec.ing i whipping-l hope Mr.. Sutton