The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-15

drew Jackson, anu Nouiu nav hh""' 1880
for himself if he had lived, for the stun wa
in him, and he had genius; know 1t, becaus
he hadn't had any opportunities TO speak OF
land il don't stand to reason that dog coult
make such "A light rs he could under the CIR
cumstances if he hadn't no talent 1T Away
makes me feel sorry when l get to thinking
,of that last fight of hisn, and the way 1t turn
ed out.
Well this yer Smiley had rat tarriers,. ane
chicken.cocks, and all of them kind OF things
till you couldn't rest, and yon couldn't fetcl
nothing for him to bet on but he'd match you
He ketched frog one day and took hin
home, and said he cal klated to edercate him
and SO he never done nothing for three
months but sit in his back yard and learn
that frog to Jump He'd give him little
punch behind, and the next minute you'd SEE
that frog whirling in the air ike doughnu
see him turn one summefsault, or maybe
couple if he got u good start, ana come down
hatiooted and all right like u cat. lie got
! him up SO in the manner OF catching illes
and kept him in practice 80 constant, thal
he'd nail u ilie every time rs far us he could
see him Smiley said all frog wanted was
education, and lie could do most anything
and | believe him. Why, I've seen him sci
Danl Webster down here ON this tloor-Dan'l
! Webster was the name of the frog-and sing
out Flies, Dan'l, flies" and quicker'n you
could wink, he'd spring up and snake ny
ott>n the counter there, and then flop down on
the floor again AS solid AS COB of mud, and
fall to scratching the sides of his head with
his hind foot as Indifferent as if he hadn't no
idea he'd been doing more than any other
frog might do. You never see frog so mod
est and straight tor'ard rs he was. for all he
was SO gifted And when it come to fair and
square jumping on a dead level, he could get
over more ground at one straddle than any
animal of his breed you ever see. Jumping
on dead level was his strong suit, you un-
derstand; and when it came to that Smiley
would ante up money on him as long rs he
had red. Smiley was monstrous proud OF
this frog, and well he might be, for fellers
that had travelled and been everywhere all
said he laid over any frog that they had ever
seen.
Well, Smiley kept the beast in little box,
and he used to fetch him down town and lay
for bet. One day teller--a stranger in
the camp he was-come across him with his
box and says:
What might it be thai you've got in that
bOx?"
And Smiley says, sorter indiiferent-like:
1t might be a parrot, or might be a canary,
maybe, but it aint-it's only just frog"
And the fellow took it, and looked at 1t
careful, and turned it around this way and
that, and says Hum so It's. Well, what's
he good tOr?"
WELL" Smiley says, easy and careless, "he
IS good for one thing, should judge-he can
out jump any frog in Calaveras county,
The Teller took the box again, and took
mother long particular look and give it back
o Smiley, and says, very deliberate, "Well,
don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any
,cttern any other frog"
Maybe you DON'T" Smiley says, Maybe
'ou understand frogs, and maybe you don't
understand 'em; maybe you've had expert
nee, and maybe you amt only amature as
t were. Any ways, I've got my opinion, and
III risk forty dollars that he can out jump
my frog in Calaveras county,
And the Teller studied u minute, and then
avs, kinder sad-like, Well, I'm only frog,
'ut if had frog I'd bet you"
And then Smiley says, That's all right
hats all right: if you'll hold my box min
tie, III 90 and get frog" And so the Teller
Ook the box, and put up his forty dollars
long with Smiley's and set down to wait
so he set there good while, thinking and
linking to himself, and then he got the frog
ut and pried his mouth open, and took tea.
poon and filled him full OF quail shot-filled
i'm pretty near up to his chin-and set him
n the floor. Smiley he went to the swamp,
nd stopped around in the mud for long time,
nd finally he ketched frog and fetched him
a, and give him to the Teller, and says:
Now, if you're ready, set him alongside Of
)an'l, and III give the word" Then he says,
One-two-t jump and him and the fel.
,r touched up the frogs from behind, and the
ew frog hoped of, but Danl gave heave :
nd hysted up his shoulders-so-like a
it wasn't no use--hc couldn't ,
Judge; he was planted as solid as an anvil,
nd he couldn't no more stir than if he was :
out Smiley was good deal sur
rised, and he was disguised, too, but he didn't
ave no idea what the matter was, Of course.
The Teller took the money and started away :
nd when he was going out at the door, he G
orter jerked his thumb over his shoulders
ais way, at Dan'l and says again. very de- n
berate, We'll, | don't see no p'ints about I
lat frog that's any beiter'n any other frog" Ii
Smiley stood, scratching his head and look q
~ down on Dan'l a long time, and at last he c
AVS, II do wonder what in the nation that {
'og throwed off for. | wonder if there amt In
Dmething the matter with him, pears to look ,
tightly baggy, somehow" And he ketched II
)an'l by the nap of the neck and lifted him [
ont weigh five pounds" and turned him |
pside down and belched out a double-hand- Il
II of shot And then he see how it was, and
e was the maddest man. He set the frog
own and took after the felleT, but he never
etched him. And -
Here Simon Wheeler heard his name called
ON the front yard, and got up to see what t
as wanted And turning when he moved
way, he said, Just set where you are, stran. /
er, and rest easy-I am going to be gone a q
cond." "
But the stranger did not think that the !
ontinuation of the history of the enterpris- a
~ vagabond, Jim Smiley, would be likely Ii
} afford much information concerning the II
icv Leoaidas W. Smith, and so | started {
way. &
Not Appreciated. Ii
\ few days since well dressed gentleman,
apparently in good circumstances, came to Q
saginaw, Mich, from some point on the |