The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-01-19
IDAHO WORLD.
Mark Twain's Masterpiece.

;no for three months butsit in his back
ward and learn the frog to jump. And
Won bet he did learn him, too. He'd
Give him a little punch behind, and the
next minute you'd see that frog whlrl.
ino in the air like doughnut-see him
turn a summerset, and maybe couple
if he got a good start, and come down
flaf-footed and all right like a eat. He
cot him up so in the matter of catching
flies and kept him in practice so con
slant, that he'd nail fly every time as
far as he could see. him. ,,.
Smiley said that all the frog wanted
was education, and he could do almost
anything, and / believe him. Why, |
have. seen him set Daniel Webster on
the floor, and then sing out: Flies,
Dan'l, f1ies!" and quicker'n you could
wink he'd spring up and snake a fly
off'n the counter there and flop down
on the floor as solid as COB of mud,
and fall to scratching the side OF his
head with his hind foot as indifferent
as if he'd, mo idee he'd done any more'n
any frog might do. You never seed a
frog so modest and Straightforward as
he was, for all he was so gifted. And
when it came to square jumping, on
dead level, he could get over more
ground at one straddle than any animal
of his breed you ever peeped at. This
was his strong suit, you understand,
and on this Smiley would ante money
on him as long as he had a red. He
was monstrous proud of his frog; and
well he might be; for fellers that had
travelled and been everywhere all said
he laid over any frog they ever seed.
Well, Smiley kept the beast in a lit
tie lattice box, and he used to fetch it
down town sometimes and lay for bets.
Once feller-a strengsr in camp, he
was,-came across him with his box,
and says: grrB<r<e-Elg-
"What might it be you've got in the
box 2"
And Smiley, sorter Indifferent like,
said: at might be parrot, or it might
be a canary, maybe; but it amt, its
only jist a frog" Aela Il
And the Teller took it and looked at
it careful, and turned it round this way
and that, and says: ....
"H'm- 80 It's. Well, what's he good
for, anyhow" o.r
"Well," says Smiley, easy and care
less, she's good enough for one thing,
should judge. Irecken he can out
jump any frog in Calaveras county"
The teller took the box again, and
took another long and pertikcler look,
and gives it back to Smiley, and says,
very deliberate:
"Well, l don't see no pertikeler p'ints
about that frog that's any bctter'n any
other frog"
Maybe you don't" Smiley replied.
Maybe you understand frogs; an may
be you don't understand 'em. Maybe
you amt only an amateur, as it were
Anyways, I've got my opinion, and I'll
risk forty dollars that he can outiump
any frog in Calaveras county,
And the feller studied minute or
two and then says, kinder sad like
"Well, Pm only stranger here, and !
amt got no frog; but if l had frog
I'd bet YOU"
And then Smiley says: "That's all
right. If you'll hold my box minute
I'll go and get you a frog" And so
the Teller took the box and put up his
forty dollars along with Smileys and
sat down to wait.
so he sot there good while, think
ing all to hisself, and took the frog out
and pried open his mouth and took a
teaspoon and filled him full of quail shot
filled him pretty near up to the chin,
and sot him on the floor. Smiley went
out in the swamp and stopped around
IN the mud for long time, and finally
he ketched frog and fetched him in.
and gave him to the Teller, and said:
"Now, if you're ready, set him long
side OF DAM, with his forepaws even
with Dan1, and I'll give you the word"
Then he says, One - two = three =
jump!" and him and the teller touched
up the frogs from behind, and the new
frog hoped off lively, but Danl gave a
heave, histed up his shoulders-so like
q FEenchman, but it wasn't no use; he
couldn't bulge, he was planted as solid
as an anvil, and he couldn't no mora
stir than)if he was anchored out. Jim
Smiley was a good deal surprised. and