The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-09-27
The Frog and the Mouse.

A Powhatan correspondent sends us an
account of what can hardly be called COM
bat between frog and u mouse. The strug-
Gle was completely devoid of anything like
hcroism. So meek and unresisting was the
frog that the mouse must have been an I'd.
feeling brute to have continued so long to
persecute him. The beastly act of deyour-
ing one of the legs Of the poor frog makes
the mouse the yeriest Of brutes. And how
docs this account tally with Homers heroic
poem of the battle Of the frogs and mice
or of that little song that makes the freq a
loyer "who would a.wooing co." What
will bis "Iadye-oYc" think of this frog
when he visits her again with only three
legs? But the mouse, for worrying the non.
combatant as he did, and concluding his per-
secutions by devouring one of the frog
legs, should never again be admitted into
decent society. The story reads:
1t is my custom during the summer
months 10 visit tie Huguenot sulphur
spring every evening and morning. Having
arrived at the before named place about 6
O'Clock z. NJ. on the % of September, |
drank, and took my seat on The mas onry that
eLcloses the spring. In the two mo st south
western corners of this enclosure, which is
an octagoD, are two bolcs, each about three
inches in circumference. After sitting i
short time q sbrcw-m0use made its up.
Jearancc in front Of the hole nearest
TO me, seeming to be earnestly in search
of something. After encrcliug lis TIRES
hold for short time it proceeded around
tie wall. Presently, to my great sur
prise, | beard Il scream, and on locking up
perceived that it bad encountered a large
toad. At first the shrcw seemed unwilling
to make an attack, aud returned short dis
lance; but at this time, as if its courage was
renewed. it retraced its steps, and leaping
over the toad seized it by one Of its hind
legs. The toad made no show of fight, but,
striving to escape, put forth those pitilu'
screams that would have moved the heart o.!
any one TO lis rescue bu, Of one whose curl
osity was not yet satisfied. When the shrew
had weared its prey the former undertook TO
carry the latter into the neares. hole; but
this vas impossible, as the shrew had cut
the cavity in the wall to tit itself and not the
toad, which was lal ger around by TWO inches.
3vhcu several unsuccessful attempts had
ben made to carry the toad into this dining.
room the latter succeeded 10 getting free.
but WAS soon rccapluTed and taken back Ia
undergo the same treatment, the shrew no
Doubt thinking It an intlttonist, and that it
bad swollen itself to prevent being carried
through the Observation-Disclosures but the
Door toad was accused wrOngfully; it no
d ,lbt needed all the air it could draw in, but
unfortunately for the shrew the toad's franz
vas too large. Finding it impossible to &c.
complish its purpose ut this corner, the
shrew dragged its prey (Which by this time
seemed to have given up all hopes of escape
TO the next hole, and laying it near the en-
trance ran quickly to and fro several
times, as if seeking place to put it. The
shrew now commenced again the task to
take toad that measured five inches around
into hole that was only three inches in cir.
conference; but this being of DO avail it
seemed rs If TO say, "To take supper in my
dining room this evening is impossible, so
will enjoy it the best I Can out in the cool
porch" And SO it did, for it gnawed Oft
and deroured one Of the hind legs of the
living toad, when | set the latter free to
spend the remainder of its life with only
three legs. Durln- the whole OF this scufi.,
which lasted about half an hour, the toad
screamed most pitifully. After the scene
= had closed, several ladies from the surround.
hdng neighborhoJd made their appearance, 10
3Hhom related my story, and expressed my
S5oy at having witnessed the incident but
the only recompense received was a rebuke
from one of them for being so cruel as tC
allow such tragedy to be enacted in my
sight. NJ.
Huguenot Springs Septembe IS, 1875.