The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-13
THE SAUCY FROG.

"It was all along of the gal,p said JUS
tice Cleghorn, taking off his hat and
briskly scratching the top of his head
"thet came ter wrastle with thet thar
frog nigh onto twenty years ago. Now
thet sounds Adam-like, don't it,-iust as
IL history was repeatin' of herself in my
ease, an was tryin' to put the blame
pn the woman. Still, l stick to it that
Mlinda done it, an I'll prove it, though
there really amt much to the story.
"Yousee, I'd he'd the collie, an teeth
In, an measles, an mumps. an hives, an
chicken-pox, an scarlet fever. an ear
ache. an CROWN bones, an he'd got to
long-tail coats an boots, an turn-down
collar. Then I got vealy and fell in love
with Melinda Hefern. | was great,
gawky country boy, with feet like sugar
troughs, sprung knees, tawny hair-s'if
Il he'd bleached jest little too much
hands. like five-tined pitch-fork, an a
face SO freckled thet even the skeeters
wouldn't bite it. But he'd heart, an
Il got humping tre-men-ju-ous-ly for
M'linda, an for no one else but M'linda
"Thet meant husking-bees, an SPELL
hg-schools, an exhibitions, an parties,
an sleigh an buggy rides. an sparkin'
when the old folks was in bed, an, not
least by no means, it meant the circus
City folks can't understand why country
people just 60 wild over them circuses
They don't know thet circus is better n
! opera to country folks an is the next
Thing TO heaven full of angels turnin'
omersets, an ridin' bareback hosses,
IN playin' clown. Only thar mayn't
be no sech Heaven. But on airth we
know thar is circuses-circuses with
music thet makes feller set Uneasy onto
his seat, an men an women fyin' in the
air an floppin' on the ground, an every
body a laughin' ready to split. Why,
to-day, though l am a Jestice Of the
Peace, I'd rather steal into one of them
shows by crawlin' under the tent than
TO hev the best front seat at the leggiest
Of operas. Thet's my measure.
II TUX 'M'linda to 'em all, an treated
ner like a princess to gingerbread, pea
nuts, lemonades, fans, lives of circus
martyrs, side-shows, with ice cream
thrown in. Nothin' wus too good for
Mlinda then! Nothin's too good for her
now. Fact! But it eat up pile of
money every summer; nigh onto a
couple OF dollars, l reckon, for each sea-
son.
''Pd seen the advertisement of big
show as was comin' to Niles; one wus
said to beat everything of the kind in the
world. asked M'linda to 60, an of
course she said 'yes,' though it was
churnin' day. We went up by cars,
jest as happy a couple as was in the
county; an 1 felt as big as one Of them
fellcrs what walks at the head of brass
band, an has bear-skin FELLOWSHIP fur
hat; fur M'linda was a big healthy
girl, full Of blood an life, an wore No.
shoe, she did; an l wus proud to bc
alongside of her.
"But wasn't we disappointed though
There wasn't no show. I'd made mis-
take; got week ahead of the circus, an
no train went out till night. When we
got downright hungry we went into a
shop that was both bakery an eatin'
house.
G'What'll ye have?' asked the waiter.
"I didn't know, an M'linda couldn't
tell
F., "'Frogs' legs is specially nice this sea-
son. said the waiter, rubbin' hard at a
grease-spot in the table cloth. Lots of
call for 'em. Come from Elderkin's
pasture. Very tender, mum. 'Spose
they didn't jump about as much as
nsual."
"'Don't want 'em,' M'linda said.
Frogs legs always seemed to me like
tables legs. I can't eat babies, nor any
thing like 'em.'
"'Of course not, mum, said the man.
IT'S not necessary. Besides, babies is
too high in the market, owing to search
ty. We haven't had roast baby in this
Establishment since Barnum was here
with his three cannibafs. Then
II saw he knew we wus from the
country, an wus chafin us, an made
up my mind to shet him up. So spoke
sharply:
"7Get us ons saucer of ice cream, an
one plate Of cake, an two spoons! Be
quick about it, tool
4. II thought that would make an i'm
preston on him that we weren't no ordi-
nary country people. 1t did. He smiled
when he went away, an be smiled when
he came back, an he continued to grin
when M'linda an l tackled the cream
an the cake, an snapped spoons, Jest as
we allays did at parties. l couldn't
stand it.
"What are you laughing at, JohnY
says, finally; 'anythin' funny about this
laIy an myselff
"'Funny? Of course not. / never
saw nicer couple q noticed M'linda
smile On him fur this, an wet her fingers
for twist at the forehead, an then.
careless like, put her hand fat down on
the table. It was beauty of hand to
squeeze, an / knew she was meanin' mis-
chief I was a laughin' at the idea Of
ythe lady's about them frog-legs,' contin-
ned the5waiter. Elderkins don't think
that way. Ef he did he'd starve. Ever