The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-01-16

| Jackson-which was the name of the pup
Andrew jackson would never let on but
| what he was satisfied, and hadn't expected
nothing else-and the bets being doubled
and doubled on the other side all the time
| till the money was all up and then all of
sudden he would grab the other dog jest
| by the jint of his hind leg and freeze to it
NOT chaw, you understand, but only jest
grip and hang on till they throwed up the
sponge, if it was year.
Smiley always come ont winner on that
pup, till he harnassed dog once that didn't
have no hind legs, because they'd been
sawed off by circular saw, and when the
thing had gone along far enough and the
| money was all up, and he come to make
snatch for his pet holt, he saw in minute
how he'd been imposed on, and how the
other dog had him in the door, so to speak,
and he 'peared surprised, and then he
looked sorter discouraged like, and didn't
try no more to win the fight, and so he got
chucksd out bad. He gave Smiley look,
as much as to say his heart was broke, and
it was his fault, putting up dog that
hadn't no hind legs for him to take hold
of, which was his main dependence in a
fight, and then he limped off a piece and
laid down and died.
1t was good pup, was that Andrew
Jackson, and would have made name for
himself if he'd lived for the stuff was in
him, and he had genius know it, because
he hadn't any opportunities to speak of,
and it don't stand to reason that dog
could make such fight as he could under
the circumstances if he hadn't no talent.
1t always makes me feel sorry when /
think of that last fight of his'n, and the
way it turned out.
Well, this yer Smiley had rat tarriers
and chicken cocks, and all them kind of
things, till you couldn't rest, and you could
not fetch nothing for him to bet on but
he'd match you. He ketched frog one
day and took him home, and said he kali
'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.
And you bet he did learn him to. He'd
give him little punch behind, and the
next minute you'd see that frog whirling
III the air like doughnut-see him turn
one somerset, or maybe a couple, if he got
a good start, and come down flat-fOoted
and all right like a cat.
He got him up in the matter of catching
flies, and kept him in practice so constant
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 L believe him. Why,
I've seen him set Dan'l Webster down
here on this f1oor-Danl Webster was the
name of the frog-and sing out ''Flies !
Dan'l, flies ~ and quicker'n you could
wink he'd spring straight up and snake a
fly off7n the counter there and flop down
on the floor again as solid as a COB of mud,
and fall to scratching the side 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 a frog so modest and
ard as he was, for all he was so
gifted. And when it came to fair aud
square jumping on dead level, he could
get over more ground at one straddle than
any animal Of his breed you ever see.-
on dead level was his strong
suit, you understand and when it comes
to that Smiley wonld ante up money on
him as long as he had red. Smiley was
proud of his frog, and well he
might be, for fellows that had travelled
and been everywhere all said he laid over
any frog that ever they see.
Well, Smiley kept the beast in little
box, and he used to fetch him down town
and lay for a bet. One day feller-a
stranger in the camp, he was-come across F.,
him with his box, and says:
"What might it be that you've got in |
that box x?''
And Smiley says, sorter Indifferent like
s'It might be a parrot, or it might be can !
ary, maybe, but it ain't-it's 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 tits. Well
what's he good for?'
''Well," Smiley says, easy and careless,
she's good enough for one thing, L should
iudge--he can oujump any frog in Gala
veras county"
The fcller took the box again, and took
another long, particular look, and gave it
back to Smiley, and says, very deliberate
ssWen, I don't see no p'ints about that
frog that's any better'n any other frog"
stMaybe you don't" Smiley says. '.May-
be you understand frogs, and maybe you
don't understand 'em maybe you've had
experience, and maybe you amt only an
amateur as it were. Anyways, I've got
my opinion, and I'll risk forty dollars that
he can outjump any frog IN CalaVeras
An, the fellow studied minute, and
hon saws. kinder sad like, ''Well, l am