The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-05

most filed his pan with very rich look
ing dirt, when up came the frogs head,
and out came bis tantalizing "Struck
it7 struck it2"
Pete threw the pan of dirt as far as
he could send it, and made for the frog,
determined ON it's, destruction. He
would stand no more of its internal non.
sense. Shovel in hand, he waded into
the middle of the little reservoir, and
scooped and tore about it with the vig-
orous venom of a mad bull. Once OF
twice he saw, or imagined he saw, the
4 frog dart through the disoolored water,
and brought down the back of his
shovel upon the spot with such ssspat''
that the. blow might have been heard
half mile away. At length, not seeing
anything more Of the frog, Pete con-
I cluded that he had killed him. He gave
him parting curse, and, being now
wrought up to such pitch OF excite
ment and nervousness that he could
work no more that afternoon, put on
his coat and went home.
The next morning he returned to his
claim and his work. He had washed
out several pans of dirt, and was getting
good pay out of them, when suddenly
there fell upon his ear the shril cry OF
"Struck it2" -. .-'....'
The first note sent thrill through
Pete's frame, like the sharp shock Of an
electric battery; then q chill fell upon
his heart; and bis hair almost rose on
end. His evil genius, as he now firmly
believed the little green frog to be, was
still there, alive and at his old tricks.
He kicked over the pan of dirt he had
dug, and made a rush for the reservoir,
the frog "plumping" under the water
at his approach. Pete again went into
the reservoir with his loDg-handled
shovel, and charged about at q furious
rate; but he could see nothing of the
frog or anything that looked like it.
Being determined to do for his torment
or this time, Pete went for his pan AMI
began trying to bail out the reservoir.
Finding this too great task, he got q
pick, dug; down the embankment of
dirt and rocks forming ne little dam,
and, eagerly watched, with, upifted
J shovel for the frog, as the water ran
u
was nowhere to be seen. 81.
Pete then waded ont in the oozy bed
of the pond, digging and plunging
about with his shovel, but he failed to
start the goblin frog. He then arrived
at the very reasonable conclusion that
the little imp had gone down the stream
with the body of water that rushed out
of the reservoir when it was opened.
He; ;cruised about the spot for an hour or
two, going down the channel of the ra-
vine, turning, over rocks end beating
tufts,of grass with bis shovel but he saw
nothing of the frog. Thinking his evil
genius had been washed down through
the canyon into the, Carson river, Pete
concluded to rebuild his dam in order
that he,might have water ready for use
in the morning This job dom; ;he went
home, feeling quite sure that he had
either killed or permanently ousted his
little enemy. -.
The next day he returned to his work.
Before starting in, however, he walked
around the reservoir several times Jpeer-
ing keenly into the water and kicking
every bunch of grass about its margin.
The frog was nowhere to be seen or
started. ... ..,..u
Pete then went to his prospect hole
and began to dig, stopping occasionally
to cock On eye toward the pond and to
listen for the frog. All promised well
for Pete. He had dug pan Of dirt
without the hated interruption, and was
on his way to wash it out, when
"Struck it2 struck it2" was squeaked
from the pond by the goblin frog
This was too much for Pete. The
pan was dropped from his hands, his
under jaw fell, and he sunk down upon
the nearest rock, where he sat and con-
sidered the matter. As he was wonder
! ing if it was possible for him ever in any
way to rid himself of the evil thing that
destroyed his luck, the frog again sung
out, cheerily as ever-"Struck its struck
it W''. .''
"Ye think so l'' said Pete, and, catch
ing up his pick, he rushed to the reser-
voir and began digging down the en-
bankment. '....
Presently he paused in his work. and
said {: w. 0,'...''. IT, :. 49,. .,..
"It's no use. Haven't I tried to get
him in all waysi No; when get the
water off he'll be gone. He'sno human
frog I'll jist lethim howld possession,
and I'll hunt me another place."
Pete began to gather up his clothes
and tools with the intention Of vacating
theplace, When he stopped and gazed
wistfully at his prospecting hole. GA
promising, place it was, too, 9 in the
MAN," said he. ".Now. shall be tor
mented away BY ;a>dirty little baste like
, youf No; I'll give him warmin' yet,
aud all the likes of him. I'll pepper
him tomorrow So saying. Pete put
on his coat and struck out for home,
turning to shake his fist toward the pond
as he departed. ~ .....I.
The next morning Pete went up to
Johntown and borrowed a shotgun he
then bought a quantity of powder and
shot and returned to his claim, saying as
he strobe along: " I'll kill that fsog,
if it's amongst The possibilitiesl"
On reaching tho claim. he crawled to
o rock; near: the. edge of the pond, and,
seating himself upon it, watched for
SOmSs AOuiS. ppei oiio SooAth A1oS "eso
neither to be seen nor heard.
"He has run away" said Pete )" but
I'll kill him, if he is anywhere on the
face of the green earth"
He thenmoyed along down the canyon,
and presently saw what seemed to be bis
tormentor. He hlazed away and
stretched the creature dead on the
margin of the hill. He was just begin
ming to rejoice over the victory be had
gained, when up from the spot sprung
another frog, the very picture ;of that
Ehe had killed. Pete looked at this new
apparition, and then turned' and gazed
upon the slaughtered animal to be sure
.. it was dead. Finding it was stretched
lifeless on the ground, he went after the
second frog. This was finally slaughter
ed, and he continued his hunt down the
! CANYON. All that day be. hunted frogs,
blazing away at everything that moved
, in the water; or that looked at allslike a
frog. -
The next day he bought more ammu-
milton, and again went on the war-path
along the canyon, firing SO frequently
that some of the miners above thought
that the Piutes had attacked the settlers
at the north of the canyon. The next
day and the next, and right along for a
week, Pete hunted the canyon, always
beginning with the pond ON his claim,
IL Loo,;no nm. murdernua fra 90