Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-11-09
ACurIous Frog story

The Elk Run DELI Gazette has the
MIR. wager, living near MitcheIl's
Station, in Culpeper county. relates
some very curious facts about a remark-
able frog. sit has lived.D he saws
''many years with us, and ID "a mai
favorite, and the greatest curiosity il
its becoming SO remarkably tame. II
had frequented our door steps before
our hall door some years before nv
acquaintance commenced with il. NV
father had admired il on account of its
size and color, and he visited it every
evening, when it would come forth at
his summons, and by constant feeding
it would come to the candle and look
up as if expecting to be taken and
! brought to the table and fed on insects
of all sorts. On presenting living in
sects, 1t fixes its eyes intently aad re-
mains motionless for while as if pre-
pairing for strike, whichsis an inst an
taneous throwing of its tongue to a
great distance, upon which the insect
sticks fast to the tip by glutenous
matter. / can't say how long. my
father had been acquainted with
| it; from my earliest recollec-
ton he spoke of it as cold
Tom, ''the old frog" I have
known it for a great number of years
| can answer for fifty seven years. It
makes Its appearance, with warm wealth
er and remains with us till fall, appear
ing morning and evening TO our great
amusement, having been trained TO do
many things, such as leaping, turning
somersaults, holding alternately by its
feet aud hands to a small rope, swing
ing and whirliDg after the manner of a
slack rope performer, marching erect
on its hInd legs; and at the word of
command, going through the manual
exercise. lie seems perfectly good ma
| tured, and never shows temper, but is
dreadfully afraid of a cat, on whose
approach it will often leap four feet
from Of the floor, with the utmost pre-
/ cisiOn, p,ump into the mouth OF large
water pitcher, and thus secure a safe
retreat. Yet he is In no wise alarmed
or disturbed by the presence of dogs,
OF which we have many about the prem.
ises. They seem to regard him as one
of the household and a privileged
character" The Hon. Judge Taylor,
who will attest the above statement
made by Mir. wager, in speaking of the
age Of this frog remarked: ''It is cer-
tainly one hundred years old, and
though he may have been here before
the Indians left the country, he may be
even now but in his infancy"
Singular Case of Larceny In Indiana.
From the New Albany Commercial, Oct III
Night before last Sheriff APPLICABLE,
of Putnam county, brought down a
couple OF prisoners, bound for the
Jacksonville PenitentiaTy. One of
them, named Robert Protter, was very
well dressed, and had in every way the
demeauOr of a gentleman. He was a
cattle-driver, aud bought large drOves
of cattle from time to time at Green
castle, and shipped them TO New York
In one of these transactions he bought
a large number of cattle of a gentle
man of the county, many OF which
died before they reached the New
York market, causing a loss of several
thousand dollars TO the dealer. He
claimed that they mad been stuffed, or
corn fed, and tried to get the gentle
man to refund a large part of the
money, which was refused. Smartlug
under the irritation, the drover went to
the gentleman's field and drove off
eighteen head of his cattle, and ship
ped tlem to New York. He claims
that he intended to return bill of sale
as an offset to his losses. He was at
once arrested for grand larceny. tried, |
convicted and sentenced 10 three years |
in the Jacksonville Penitentiary. He
says he knows that it was wrong, and
that ne ought not to have taken such
measures to get redress. 1t was stated
to us by a gentleman present that he
had paid ont for stock within a few
years,in Putnam county, at least $780,
900