The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-11-02
PAPA'S TRUE STORY.


On, papa. papa, tell us a 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.
"Tell us true story" said Emma,
the little four-year-o as she climbed
upon her papa's knee.
Papa could not resist this appeal.
So he laid down his paper, and began
as follows
"Once upon time there lived a
toad who had but three legs, having
lost one of his hind-legs.'
"Was it shot off in war;" asked
Emma.
Il do not know how he lost it 2"
said papa. "He may have lost it in d
battle with snake. All | know is
that he had but one hind-leg, and that
in jumping over the ground he remind
ed one very much of crippled sol
der"
This old toad, being thus badly
crippled, was put to many shifts i'll or
der to get his daily bread
"Toads don't eat bread, do they?'
asked Mary.
81 mean flies, bugs and such things"
said papa, which take the place of
bread with toads."
"He had to use his wits so much
Used Used Is Is hide under leaf, or bunch
of grass; and, by pouncing upon un-
wary flies, he was able to get quite Il
good living.
Zone day he hobbled into a garden,
and squatted under a cabbage-leaf,
hoping to catch 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.
"'Oh, dear" said he: Il have
oversight myself. How hungry | am.
| wonder if | can find a bug in the
dark SO saying, he began to hop
along, when down he went into pool
of muddy water. He sank to the bot
tom; but, by kicking Justify, soon got
his head above water.
"Then he swan around, trying to
find something to rest upon. At last
he came upon little hummock OF
earth, in the middle Of the pool, and
there he sat waiting for morning.
When morning came, the toad found
that he was in great square pit half
fall of water. 1t was a pit that had
been dug by the gardener, in making
an asparagus-bed.
1.-The poor toad had to sit there all
of that day and the following night
without a 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"
"Oh, papar' said Emma, "that is
Just the way Mary and L dressv' Papa
went on without making any reply.
"When the little girls came to the
pit the older one cried out: Oh. look
at that old toad sitting in the water!
".I.et 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 dan
ger of being washed off.
"'Oh, dear said the toad, 'wh(
would have thought that those little
girls would be so cruel?' Just then {
big piece of dirt struck the poor toat
upon the head, and laid him sprawline
on his back in the water.
"When the toad had recovered from
the blow, and had crawled back to his
resting place, he noticed a man with
hoe on his shoulder, approaching tht
pit. 'Oh, dearp said the toad; hers
comes great, rough man; now l shall
certainly be killed,
"But the man put his hoe under th'
toad, lifted him carefully out of th'
pit, and laid him upon the dry grass
"'Well. l neverv said the toad
Who could have thought it? On'
can't always judge by appearances.
Here Emma hung her head, ant
Mary giggled nervously.
"Do you know what little girls thes'
were?" asked papa.
81 didn't know the toad felt so bat
when l FREQ at him. said Emma, tn
tears starting in her eyes.
"No," said papa; "but you will b.
more thoughtful the next time, an
sure" This was papa's' true story
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