The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-12-28

"Oh, papa, papa, tell us story !"
cried little Mary and Emma, running
UP to their father, who had seated him
self upon the porch, and was about to
read the evening paper.
"TcIl us a true story" said Emma, the
little four-year old, as she climbed upon
her papa's knee.
Papa could not resist this appeal. So
he laid down his pgper, and began as fol-
lows;
"Oncc upon time there lived a toad
who had but three legs, having lost one
of his hind-legs."
Was it shot off in WARP asked En-
ma.
81 do not know how he lost it ?" said
papa. Gle may have lost it in battle
with a snake. All know is that he had
one hind-leg, and that in jumping over
the ground he reminded one very much
Of a crippled soldicr.'
"Thi5 old toad, being thus badly
crippled, was put to many shifts in order
to get his daily bread"
"Toads don't eat bread, do they"
asked Mary.
Il mean flies, bugs and such things"
said papa, (which take the place Of bread
with toads"
"IIc had to use his wits 50 much that
be soon came 50 be very wise. He used
to hide under a leaf, or bunch Of grass;
and, by bouncing upon unwary flies, he
was able to get quite good living.
"Onc day he hobbled into agarden, and
sQuattcd under a cabbage leaf, hoping to
catch a nice large bug for his dinner.
But he was very tired, and before long
he was fast asleep. When he awoke it
was quite dark.
econ dear !" said he: al have over
slept myself How hungry I am! |
wonder if l can find bug in the dark
So saying, he began to hop along, when
down he went intoa pool of muddy water.
He sank to the bottom; but, by kicking
Justify, soon got his head above water
"Thcn he swan around, trying to find
something to rest upon. At last he
came upon a little hummOck of earth, i'll
tho middle of the pool, and there he sat
waiting for the morning. When morn
ing came, the toad found that he was in
a great square pit half full of water. 1t
was pit that had been dug by the gar
dener, in making an asparagus-bed.
"The poor toad had to sit there all of
that day and the following night without
bite to eat. EARLY the next day he was
delighted to see two little girls come into
the garden.
'''Now / shall be helped out thought
he. Those dear little girls will be my
friends
"They were both dressed in white
sacks, with brown sashes, and had on
their heads chip hats trimmed with
brown"
ooh, papa" said Emma, "that is just
the way Mary and dress" Papa went
on without making any reply.
"When the little girls came to the pit
theolder one cried out: cob! look at
that old toad sitting in the water!'
"'Let us throw dirt at him" said the
smaller.
$50 both little girls threw dirt and
sticks at the toad, which raised such
waves around him that he was in danger
of being washed off.
aeon, DEAR said the toad, who
would have thought that those little
girls would be so cruel" Just then
big piece OF dirt struck the poor toad
upon the head, and laid him sprawling
on his back in the water.
"When the toad had recovered from
the blow, and had crawled back to his
resting-pIace, he noticed a man with
hoe on his shoulder, approaching the pit.
on, dearw said The toad; "here comes
a great rough man; now shall certainly
be killed..
but the man rul his hoe under the
toad, lifted him carefully out Of the pit,
and laid him on dry grass.
"'Wen, l neyern said the toad. !
who could have Ihoughtit? One can't
. ways judge by appearances"