Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-05-24
NIrSCELLANx-.
Jim Smiley's Jumping Frog.

to the New York Saturday Press, discourscs on
a Queer California genius named Jim Smiley.
who was always really to let, lle.e IS aspect
men:
Well, this here Smiley had rat-tarricrs, and
chicken CO, ks and Tom cats, and all them KIND
of things till you couldm'trcst, and You couidht !
sleep. and YOU couldn't fetch him nothing to
bet on but he'd match you. lie ketched a iros;
one DAY and fetched him home, and sand he
ealo'latel TO educate him, and So he neyerdonc
nothing for three months but set In tho back
yark and learn the frog Low to Jump, And
YOU bet he did learn him, too. He'd give HIM
a little hunch behind, aud the next minute
YOU'D see that frog whirling in the air like
douehnut, see him turn one Su,nmcrset. or may
be couple, if he got good start. and como
down fat footed and all right, like cat. lie
got him up so in the matter Of catching illes,
and kept him in practice SO constant, that he'd
nail fly every time as far as he could see him.
Smiley said all frog wanted was education,
and he could do most anything-and believe
him. Why, have seen him set Daniel Web
ster down here on this fioor-Danicl Webster
was thcnameol the frog-and singoat' "Flles,
Daniel, flies; = and quicker'n you could wink,
he'd spring straight up and shake a fly ef tho
counter there, and flop down on tho floor aSin
as solid as dob of mud, and fall TO scratching
the side of his hind foot as Indifferent as If ho
hadn't no idea he done no moron any frog
might. You never see frog 70 modest and
straightforward as he was. And when he come
TO fair and square jumping on dead level,
he could get over more ground than any animal
of his breed YOU ever see. Jumping on dead
level was his strong suit, you understand, and
when it come to that, Smiley would ante up
money on him as long as he had AIRED. Smiley
was monstrous proud Of his frog, and well no
might, for feers that had travelled and had been
everywhere, said he laid over any frog they ever
see. ~ ffr reads Il l8l
Well Smiley kept the beast in littlo box,
and he used to bring him down town sometimes,
and lay for bet. One day fellcr--a stranger
in the camp, he was-come across him with
his box, and says: q. jas1-.5i3 1of
What might it bethat you We got in the box
And Smiley says, sorter indifferent like, II
might be parrot, or it might be canary, may
be, but it aint; it's only jest frog, tse
And the fellef took it, looked at it careful,
and turned it round thisway and that, and says
'H'm-so It's. Well, what's he good for y
Well" Smiley says, easy and careless.
He's good enough for one thing should think
-he can out jump any frog in Calavoras coun-
ty.'
Andthe fcllcr studied niuute and then says,
kinder sad like, Well I'm only stranger here,
and amt got no frog; but, if Ihad frog I'd
bet you" Tisl
And then Smiley snaps, That's all right
that's all right--if you'll hold my boz minute
I'll go and get you frog, and so t.,e feller took
the box and put up the forty dollars along With
Snliley's and set down to wait.
So he sot there good while thinking and
thinking to himself, and then he got the frcg
out and pried his mouth open, and took tea
spoon and filed him full of quail shot--flled
him pretty near up 10 his chin--and sci him
on the floor. Smiley went to the swarap and
stopped and stopped around in the rlr.d for s
long time, and finally he ketched frog aud
fetched him In and gave him TO tbi.s fcllcr aud
says " Now, you're ready, ST lin alongside
of Dan1, with his fore paws Just even Will.
Dan'l's, and III give you t'ne word.D Then he
says, One-two-thre Jump and him and
the feller touched up thoir frogs from behind
and the new frog hc.pped Of lively, but Dan'l
gave heavc and 'nytcd up his shouldcr--so
like French MN, butt was no usc-ho
couldn't bulge !; lsc was planted as solid as an
anvil, and 0Jula no more stir than if he was
anchored OFT. Smiley was good deal sur
priscd, and ne was disgusted, 100, but be didn't
have NJ, i1ea what the matter was, Of course.
The. fsllcr took the money and started away,
and wlncn he was going out at the door be sorter
ie1ked his thumb over his shouder--this way
at Dan1 and says again, very deliberate.
well / don't see no points about that froS
that's any bcttcr'n any other frog 2"
Smiley. he stood scratchin' his head andlook-
; ing at Dan1 long time, and at last he says
:" do wonder what in the patton that frog
pIay'd of for-l wonder if there amt something
the matter with him be pears TO look mighty
boggy, somehow" and hc ketched DanI By the
nape Of the neck, aud lifted him up and says,
Why, blame my cats if he don't weigh about
five pounds and turned bin upside down,
aud be bclched out about double handful OF
shct And then he saw how it was. and then hs
was the maddest mamie set tho frog down
and put out after the ssIley, but be never ketch-
cd him. s931 iFa1H f
A MAN, who was charged with ten gallons
of wbiskey. which grocer put in an eight