The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-02-28
NUMBER %.


him little punch behind, and the next
minute you'd see that frog whirling in
the air like q doughnut-se him turn
one summerset, or may be a couple, if
he got a good start, and come down
fiat-footed and all right, like a cat He
got him up so in the matter of catching
flies, and kept him III practice so con-
slant that he'd nail fly every time as
far as he could see him. Smiley said
all frog wanted was education, and he
could do most anything, and I believe
him. Why, I've seen him set Dan1
Webster down here on this foor-Dan1
Webster was the name of the frog-and
siLg out, ''Flies, Dan'l, f1iesl" and
quicker'n you could wink, he'd spring
straight up, and snake a fly offn the
counter there, and flop down on the
floor again as solid as a 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
any more than any other frog might do.
You never see a frog so modest and
straight for'ard as he was, for all she
was so gifted. And when it come to
fair and square jumping on 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 stroug suit, you understand /;
and when it come to that, Smiley would
ante mp money on him as long as he had
a red. Smiley was monstrous proud of
this frog, and well he might be. for
feIlers that had travelled and been ev-
erywhere, all said he laid over any frog
that ever they see.
Well, Smiley kept the beast IN a lit
tie box, and he used to bring him down
town and lay for a bet One day fell
ler-a stranger in the camp, he was
came across him with his box, and says:
What might it be that you've got in
that box?"
And Smiley says, sorter Indifferent
like:
cit might be parrot, or it might be
canary, may be, but it ain't-its only
Just a frog. "
And the feller took it, and looked at
it careful, and turned it round this way
and that, and says: : "H'm so It's.
Well, what's he good for B."
"Well," Smiley says, easy and care
less, she's good for one thing should
judge-he can outjump any frog IN Cal
averas county"
The fellow took the box again, and
took another long, particular look, and
and gave it back to Smiley. and says,
very deliberate, "Well. I don't see no
p'ints about that frog. that's any
better'n any other frog.
''Maybe you DON'T" Smiley says.
"Maybe you understand frogs, and
maybe you don't understand 'em !;
maybe you've had experience, and may
be you ant only a amature as it were.
Anyways, I've got my opinion, and I'll
risk forty for dollars that he can out
jump ary frog in Calaveras county.
And the feller studied a minute, and
then says, kinder sad like, We'll, Tn
only stranger here, and amt got no
frog, but if I had frog I'd bet you.
And then Smiley says, "That's all
right-that's all right; if you'll hold
my box a minute, I'll go and git you a
frog" And so the feller took the box
and put up his forty dollars along with
Smiley's and sat down to wait.
So he set there a good while, think
ing and thinking to himself, and then
he got the frog out and priced his
mouth open, and took teaspoon and
filed him full of quail shot-filled him
pretty near up to his chin-and set him
on the floor. Smiley, he went to the
swamp, and stopped around in the mud
for long time, and finally he ketched
a frog, and fetched him in, and gave
him to this feller, and says:
Now, if you're ready, set him along
side of Dan1, with his fore paws just
even with DanI, and I'll give the word. "
Then he says, " One-two-three-
Jump" F." and him and the feller touched
the frogs from behind, and the new frog
hoped off, hut Dan1 give a heave, and
hysted up his shoulders-so-like
Frenchman, but was no use-hec couldn't
bulge he was planted as solid as an
anvil, and he couldn't no more stir than
if he was anchored out. Smiley was
good deal surprised, and he was dis
gusted, too, but he didn't have no idea
what the matter was, Of course.
The feller took the money and start
ed away; and when he was going out at
the door. he sorter ierked his thumb
over his shoulders-this way-at Dan1,
and says agin, vely deliberate, Well,
! I don't see no p'ints about that frog
that's any better'n any other frog.
Smiley, he stood scratching his head
and looking down on Danl Ioag time,
and at last he says, "I do wonder what
in the nation that frog throwed of for.
I wonder If there amt something the
matter with him he pears to look
J mighty baggy, somehow" And he
ketched DanT by the nap Of the neck
and lifted him mp, and says, 'Whv.
/ blame my cats, If he don't weigh five
pounds" =" az turned him upside down,
and he belched out double handful Of
shot. And then we see how it was, and
he was the maddest man He set tn
frog down and took after that fel1er,
but he never ketched him. And
Here Simon Wheeler heard his name
called from the front yard, and he got up
TO see what was wanted. And turning
when he moved away, he said, f'Just set
where you are, stranger. and rest easy