The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-12-07

PVihIc aDOuO lDaL UOR lnaL any DcL-
tern any other frog arrM,s u
May be you DON'T" Smiley says,
"Maybe you understand frogs, and
maybeyou Northumberland EN-; may
be you've had experience, and may,
be you amt only amature, as itwere.
Anyways, Two got my opinion, and
III resk forty dollars that he can out
jumy ary frog in Calaycras county.
T. And the feller studied a minute. and
then says, kinder sad, like, "Wcll-
I'm only a stranger here, and i Amt
got no frog-but.if had u frog Id bet
you." rr'lrf 5djo, lae .si h,
| And then Smiley says, t'That's all
right-that's all right--ifyoull hold
my box minute Iii 60 and get you
o frog;" and 80 tho teller took the box,
and put up his forty dollars along
with Smiley's, and then set down to
wait. ssf4Ie ,f..g.f.
So he set there a good while think
ing and thinking 40 hisself, and then
he got the frog out and pried his
mouth open and took q teaspoon and
filed him full of quail.shot-filled him
pretty near up to his cbin-and set
him on the floor. Smiley he went out
to the swamp and stopped around in
the mud for o long time, and finally
he ketch'd o frog and fotched him in
and give him to this tellcr and
says: rs. ar els ssg. asr Ell. ..
Nov, ifyou're ready, set him along
side of Dan'l, with his fore-paws Just
even with Dan'l's, and I'll give tho
word. Then he says, 'one-two-.
thrcc-jumpp and him and the fell
Ter touched up the frogs from behind,
and the new frog hoped off lively,
but Dan'l give heave and histed up
his shoulders-so-like Frenchman,
but it wasn't no use--hc couldn't
bulge; he was planted as solid as
anvil, and he couldn't no more stir
than if he was anchored out. Smiley
was good deal surprised and he was
disgusted too, but he didn't have no
idea what the matter was, of course. o.
The feller took the money and start.
cd away, and when he was going out
at the door he sorter jerked his thumb
over his shonlder-this way-at Dan'l
and says again, very deliberate, "Well
Il don't sec no points about that frog
that's any better than any other frog"
Smiley he stood scratching his head
and looking down at Dan'l a long
time, and at last he says, ~ do won,
der what in the nation that frog
throwed off for-I wonder if there
amt something the matter with him;
he pears TO look mighty baggy some
how"-and he ketched Danl by the
nap of the neck, and lifted him up
and says, "Why blame my cats if he
don't weigh five pounds, and turned
him upside down, and he belched out
about IL ble-handful of shot; and
then he see how it Was, and he was the
maddest mamie set the frog down
and took out after that ieller, but he
never ketched him. And ..
Hero Simon Wheeler heard his
name called from the front yard, and
got up to so and see what was want
cd. And turning to me as he moved
away, he said: Just sit where you are,
stranger, and rest easy--I amt going
to be gone q second b.. ,lia
But by your leave, l did not think
that a continuation OF the history OF
the enterprising vagabond Jim Smiley
would be likely to afford me much in
formation concerning the Rev. Leoni-
das w, Smiley, and so started away.
At the door l mot tho sociable
Wheeler returning, and he buttonholcd
me and recommended: t, |
"Well, thish.yer Smiley had yal-
lcr one eyed cow that didn't have no
tail, only just short stump like
bananner, and" 'a Ht
30, curse Smiley and his afflicted
cow!'' l muttercd, good naturedly, and
bidding the old gentleman good day, l
departed. Yours, traly, a,.s
... -........,, ..g..4 MARK TWAIN