The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1870-05-12
JIM sMIi.Ey,s rnoa.
MARK TwAIN's MAsrEurIEcE.


to educate him aud so he done moth
ing Tor three months but sit 10 hi
backyard aud lcsru the frog how {,
Jump. Aud yon bet ho did learn hin
too. He'd give him a little punch be
hind, and the next minute, you'd see
that frog whirhng in the mir like a
loughnut---sce him turn summeise'
and maybe a couSc, II he got good
start. and come Iowa nat-ioo'ei aud
all right like n cat. He cot him ~
a. in the natter of catching ilics, and
kept him in practice so constant thu,
bed nail 0y every time as far as bc
could see him.
Suiilcy said that all the frog wanted
was education, aud he could do mos,
Anything, and believe him why
I've seen him set Daniel Webster
down here on the noor-Danicl Web
ster was the name Of the frog-ard
sing out: "Flies Dan'l flies and
lucker'n you clulI wink he'd spriug
up and shake II ily ofl'n the counter
there aud flop down on tho ilor again
~ solid ~ gob of mud, aud fall to
scratching the side of his head with
bis hind foot as indifferent as if he
hadn't no idcc ho'd done any NOR n
any frog miiht do. You mover seed "a
frog 50 modest aud s,raigbtior ard a.
he was for all he was so gifted. And
when II came 10 a square jumping on
a dead lovil, he could get over more
ground ut one stradilc than any ami
NAL of his breed you ever SEQ jump
ing on dead lsvil was his strong suit
you understand. and when it came to
dat Smiley would ante up money to
him as long as he had Il rcd. Smiley
was monslrous proud Of his frog, and
well hc might b., for fcllcrs that had
travelled and bin ovcrywhc all said
that he laid over every frog that they
seed.
Well Smiley kept tho beast in a lit
lie lattice box aud he used TO fetch il
down town sometimes, aud lay Jor a
bet. Ouce u t,llcr-a stranger in
camp. he was--caiuc across him with
his box. aoa.snys
" What might it be you've got 10 the
box ?"
And Smiley, sortcr indifferent like
" IL might be a parrot, or it might
be canary, may be; but il hain't It's
only just Il frog"
aud the l,lier took it and looked Mt
II carc:dl, and turned it around this
way and that, aud says
ll'm-'o lis. Well what's he
good for ~
" Well, Smil,y says, easy and carc-
less, he's good enough Tor one thing.
| should indge--hc can outjuwp any
frog in Calaveras county.
The fcl.cr tool; tn, box and took
another Ions and particular look, aud
!ivcs it back to Smiley and says very
Well, | don't see no points about
that frog that's any bette:'n any other
frog
Maybe you don't" Smiley said.
8 Maybe you understand frogs, AMI
maybe you don't understand 'em
maybe you ain't only an amateur, "a il
were. Anyways, I've got my opiu-
ion, and I'll bet forty dollars that he
can outiump any frog in Calavcras
county"
And the fellcr studied a minute or
two, and then says kinder sal like
" Well, Pm only a stranger here, aud
! ain't got 10 frog, but il I had a frog
I'd bet you
And then Smiley says, "That's oil
right, that's all right. II you'll hold
my box minute III 20 and get You a
frog" AMI go the fcllor took tho box
and put up bls forty dollars along with
Smiley's aud sat down to wait.
50 he sat there q good while, think.
ing to hisself, and TUX the frog out
aud pried open his mouth and took
teaspoon aud filed him full of quail
'hot-dlled him pretty near to tho |
chio, and set him on the iloor. Smi- |
ley he went out 10 the swamp aud
slipped around in The mul for u long
lime, finally he ketched frog and
fetched him in and gave him to the |
Teller, and says:
Now, II you are ready, set him
alongside Of Dan'l with bis forepaws
ust even with Dan's, and I'll give
he word ~ Then he says, one-two
--three-ipmp' and him and the fell
er touched up the frogs from behind,
md tho new frog hoped of lively,
but Dan'l gave heave, hoisisd mp
his shoulder-so--like a Frenchman.
but it was no use he couldn't budge /;
he was planted as solid as an anvil,
and he couldn't no more stir than if
no was anchored out. Smiley was
good deal surprised, and disgusted, too,
but he didn't have no idea what the
matter was, of course.
Tho fcller to,k the money and START
ID away, and when he was going OUT
Of the door, he sorter jerled his thumb
over his shonlder--this way Dau.
lei, and says again, very deliberate,
: Well. don't see no other points
,bout that frog that's any be,,er'n any
other frog"
Smiley stood scratching his bead
md looking down on Dan'l FOR long
line. and at last he says /" l do won
icr what In tho nation that frog throw
I'd of for; l wonder if there amt
the matter with him he
appears to look mighty baagy some-