Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-10-24
agricultural.
-
The story Ofd Toad.
~ ELIZABETH BTTBE JONLE.

Nov ! suppose you Will say that | eau
not tell anything interesting a5ou, toad,
but | know lady who thinks differently.
for whenever she sees real fat, rosy,
dimPled baby. she says to it you dear Ill
tie ,oady >" And another lady, VINO
never had any children, and who was left
all alone in the world by the death Of her
husband, told me that she received great
comfort from All Old toad that had always
lived under her door step Tor every
morning and evening when She would 20
out on the yeranda, feeling 50 bad ana
lonely, that load would hop out and 1T at
her feet, wiDking and blinking as though
trying 10 help and comfort her.
Twill begin my story Us Susy likes ne
10 begin stories for her Once upon a
time, by country roadside, stood
house with graceful siues, hanging has.
kcls, and the beautiful flowers all about
It. The people who lived here had two
children, George and Lillian. Among
The plants was cnoicc monthly rosebuSh
which stood in large pot on the door
step. One evening when the lady was
watering these plants AMI removing the
dead leaves she noticed that the earth
was very much disturbed about this rose.
bush, and looking down close what was
her surprise 10 see two black eyes staring
NJ at her from the earth az the foot Of the
bush. Nothing else Was visible but those
eyes must say she screamed a little.
Jus; enough to bring the children out to
see waat hal happened, and George, who
was quite a boy, took his fathers cane.
and began pOklng in the earth very care
fully, Tor be had Kind heart and did
not wish to hurt IT, whatever it might be.
when all ola sudden, with one great splinc
oai hoped Z toad. II was funny to hear
Lillian laugh and scream at the same time
when she saw it but Georse said, You
Old fellow, We don't care tor your COM
Pany. Hop oh. Which advice was
very quickly taken, ami he was soon lost
IN the long grass down the walk. Bur
the next evening, when the lady as usual
wdnt out on the porch 10 water her plants.
what should she see but the same toad in
IN the same toweg-pot all buried in the
earth tut lis eyes - before. George had
Just started TO bring the COWS from past
ure, but MS mother called him, he came
running bacA with single in one hand.
Here, be said let me have the old Eel.
low l will take him with me down 10
the hemlocks, and guess be will not get
back IN hurry"
/ wish you could have seen George s.
he marched away with the toad percheI
on the shing.c, aud looking as scdate and
uneoDeerned a. though used to riding in
that way all his lie. George kept his
word, aud did lot deposit 1t until be
reached the lot called the Hemloc,s.
which was half mile from the house.
there he put it down aud left II. and his
mother felt relieved when he told her how
lar away nc had taken it. But an even.
ing o. two after, she found this obstinate
old fellow back again.
at Is not the same one" said George
when ne looked at it.
1T canno; be the same"
LET Us mark it aud see" said Lillian.
taking a scarlet thread from her pocket
George took it and fastened il round one
OF It's legs. and took it back 10 the Hem.
locks. But in two days aud a night II
was back again with the scarlet thread on
IT'S leg. By this time The children had
told their father, and he was so much IN
terested that he took the creature the next
day IN hls carriage and put it down three
miles from hls house, but what was their
establishment, in tour or FIVE days to see
hin back again.
In coming that three miles. if it came
by the road, 1t had to turn a corner : if il
came across lots it had TO pass through
some woods.
About this time their grandfather call.
ed at their house on his way to an an.
Polntment for preaching. and he took the
toad with him and put il down ten miles
from their house and it never came hack
Here Is another little item of news
about : toad. The day before Christmas
YOU will FeraemSor, Was very pleasant
ana sunny or 1t was where We live. and
our family physician th.t day took 4
stroll through his orchard, aud there he
saw toad as lively d though it wa,
midsummer, and the most sunny places
the dandelions were in blossom.-fAd-
vance.