Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-02-14
Jim GrecIey-s Jumping Frog.

Olil GIScltN htlCHtU ifOI one
day and took him home, and said he
calculated TO educate him; and SO he
never done nothin for three months
but set in his back yard and learn
that frog to jump. And you bet lac
did learn him 10 Jump too. He'd
give him little pmci. behind, and
the next minute you'd see that frog
whirling in the air like douehnut -
see him turn one sommerset. or may
be couple. if he got good start,
and come down fist footed and all
right, like Il est. He got him up so
in the matter OF catching flies, and
kept him in practice so constant that
he'd nail fy every time as far Is he
could see him. Greeley said all a
frog wanted vas education, and he
could do NEST anything-and | be-
ieve him. Why1 have seen him set
Daniel Webster down on this floor
Daniel Webster was the name o.
the frog-and sing out. Flies, Dan
iel Flies" and quicker'n YOU could
wink "a spring straight up. and
shake a fly off'n the counter there,
and drop down on the floor again as
solid as COB of mud. and fall to
scratching the side Of his head with
his hiI. J. foot, as indifierently rs if
he hadn't no idea he'd done any
more'R any frog might do. You
never see a frog so modest and
.traightfor' ard rs he was, for all he
was so gifted. And when it came to
fair and square jumping on dead
level, he could get over more ground
at one straddle than any animal of
his breed You ever see. Jumping
Oh q dead level was his strong suit,
you understood. and when it came
10 that, Greeley would ante up money
on him as long as he had q red.
Greelev was monstrous proud of
his frog, and well he might be, for
fellers that had travelled and been
eve eres, all said that he laid
over a-y that ever they see.
Well, Greeley kept the beast in a
little lattice box, and he used TO fetch
him down to town sometimes, and
lay for bet One day feller-a
stranger in the camp, he was-come
across him with his box, and says:
What might that be yo've got in
the bCx?'
And Greely says. sorter indeffer
ent like:
1T might be parrot, or it might
be canary, may be. but it ain't-it's
only just frog"
And the Teller took il and looked
at it careful. and turned it around
this wav and that, and says. Him
So it is Well, what's he good for:"
Well" Greeley says, easy and
careless, ''he's good enough for one
thing, should judge-he can out
jump any frog in Calaveras county"
The Teller took the box again, and
took another long particular look
and gave it back to Greeley, and
says very delibertly, well, l don't
see no points about that frog that's
any better'n any other frog"
Maybe you don't, Greeley says:
Maybe you understand frogs, and
maybe you don't understand en-.
maybe you've had experience, and
maybe you amt only ameture, as
it were. Anyway, I've got my opin-
ion, and I'll resk $40 that he can out
Jump any frog in Calaveras county"
And the Teller studied a minute
and then says, kinder sad like "Well,
I'm only a stranger here, and ai'nt
got no frog-but if had a frog I'd
bet you"
And then Greeley says, That all
right-that's all right-if you'll hold
my box a minute, I'll go and get you
= frog" and so the Teller took up the
box, and put his forty dollars along
with Greeley's, and set down to
wait
So he sat there 4 good while think
ing and thinking to himself, and then
he got the frog out and pried his
mouth open and took teaspoon and
filled him full of quail shot, and
filled him pretty near mp to his chin
and set him on the floor. Greeley,
he went to the swamp and stopped
around in the mud for long time,
and finally he ketched a frog ana
fetched him to this Teller and saws:
Now if you're ready, set him along
side of Danl, and I'll give the word"
Then he says, lone, two, three. jump