Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-10-18
The Educated Toads.
BY a. v

The Educated Toads.
BYH.V.
"What can those children be doing?"
said Mrs. Burton to herself one pleas
ant summer morning. It was not often
that the house was left in quiet for so
long There were but three children.
but they seemed able, each of them, to
be in three places at once At this
moment they rushed into the house.
shouting Mamma mamma ~ until
they found her in her room, as they
were sure of doing at that hour of the
day Jack was little ahead, because
he was the eldest and fastest but Net
tie made up for that by speaking first:
Mamma, mayn't we have the great
big, deep washtub 2"
Cant we, mammal" Mayn't we,
mamma? ?" "Do let us have it,
mamma" added the boys; for one
child was seldom allowed by the rest
to speak alone.
"What on earth do you want it
for?" asked mamma, not at all dis
turbed by the noise, to which she was
well accustomed.
eve want to keep toads." "And
we've caught great lot already"
eyes, we've caught four, and we want
to catch more, and teach them things
like the man in the natural-history
book" "And make them go in cart
like the educated canaries" This was
said by all three at once; but somehow
or other mamma understood it.
'But don't see what you want my
tub for
''Why to keep them in. So they
won't run away" "And we'll water
them every night" said the three
again.
"But I am afraid you might hurt
the toads," said their mother, little
doubtfully.
''No, indeed we won't, mamma.
'EWe'u be very careful" And we
won't do anything that will hurt them
the least bit" g And my book tells
me just how the man tanned his toads,
and made them do all sorts of things"
this last remark was from Nettie, who
was fond of natural history books, and
used to bring out the most wonderful
pieces of information from them.
"Well," said mamma, yielding to
the appeal, ''you may ask Bridget for
the tub; but don't bang it about and
break IL, ana you nlSt ieP uef nave IL
again on Monday"
& Yes, mamma, We'll be very careful.
We won't do anything to hurt it.
And away dashed the inseparable
three, and were heard of no more for
the rest of the morning.
"HOW have you succeeded in your
toad hunt this morning?" asked their
mother, when they all assembled at
dinner
"Oh! we caught ever so many.
We've got twenty-two Six little, wee,
baby ones, and eight middle-sized. and
five whoppers. "
''Your arithmetic seems to me to be
a little rusty" said his father.
1t was nine little ones, papa" said
Nettle. Don't you remember, Jack,
we got three almost the last 2"
ooh yes; that makes it Just right, :"
said Jack, much relieved at getting his
statistics helped out.
As soon as dinner was over, mamma
was taken out to inspect the toads.
They did look very funny, squatting
close together on the leaves that the
children had spread in the deep tub
for them, and blinking at their visitors
MlbII UllCII IOuuu y61lOW, eyes. linen
they made such funny, little chirping
sound, that Mrs. Burton was on The
point of searching the long grass for
stray chickens. It was a new discovery
to the children that toads could make
such noise. They seemed to think
the fact rather a creditable thing to
themselves, and to look on it as proof
that they could do great things in toad
education.
After duly admiring their uncouth
pets, Mrs. Burton left them under the
great, shady pear tree. They brought
out there all sorts of treasures-wi
bits Of wood, tin, and iron, bright-col-
ored paper and gliding; and their af-
ternoon was spent IN trying, with tacks
and string, to construct from these ma
terials, first, magnificent chariot to be
drawn by SIX large toads; then an ex-
press cart for middle-sized one; and
baby cart, which another middle
sized one was to draw, and in which one
of the tiny baby ones was to ride. Jack
would rest himself every now and then
by dipping string or thread in suo ar
and water and drawing it across the
toads' mouth-"to get them Wonted to
U1AS btOp 90 1lC lu1OIu1GIl NebU1p aDU
Ned They made some excursions too.
and caught flies, which they tried in
vain to persuade the little toads to eat.
All their spare time that week was
spent IN preparation for their educa-
ton.
: As soon as we get going they'll learn
fast enough" said Jack confidently.
when his mother suggested that his
toads seemed rather backward in
their learning"
However, by Saturday night thew
discovered that chariots, express wac.
ons, and baby carts could not be made
without trouble, however small thew
might be, and they resolved that the
next week they would devote them
selves exclusively to the education of
their new pets.
81 don't think they're quite as easy
to teach as I thought they'd be. Do
you2" said Nettie confidently to Jack.
8 Well, no, [ don't think they are
quite" replied Jack 'But then you
know we can let them go whenever we
want to- !"
L am glad they don't seem to care
ABOUT anything to eat, " continued Net
Gle, because if they did we should
nave great deal of trouble to catch
mes enough for them. [ suppose the
watering Of them at night feeds them
somehow"
The toads of course stayed peaceably
n thelf tub until Monday, but unfor
ton3tely, when Monday came, both the
loads and Rridget's tub were FORGOTTEN
at first. The children had decided TO
have fountain in their garden, and
everything else was quite Overlooked