Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-06-14
TIM PRICES FROG HUNT.
BY TOBE HODGE.

Tim Price devoted much time to in
VentiOn for my benefit, because / never
doubted his word. | stood in his estima-
ton rs "a fellow you could poke any
thing into and he'll b'Iieve it. He
boosted so much about "stuffin' . me
that foundWheneYer any one had lie
to tell they came to me to tell it. |
therefore concluded that it was time to
check him into respect
He was q good rifle shot and very
proud of it. His pride vibrated between
the ownership Of q rifle and watch
A trade was to him worth DAYS fast
ing, and he would 90 any distance for a
dicker.
I tell you, Colonel, I've GOT it down
to p'ints. / trades my watch for rifle
when the game gifts ready for shootin',
an my rifle for watch when thar's
an honest days work if you stop by the
sun. Thar's no man liyin' kin beat me
shootin', an thars no Twin man kin
jedge the innards in watch better nor
/ kin. / had watch Onst that the skin
nd COME right off the taters when it
said half an hours b'ilin', an there
were no fire under the kittle; an derned
# the eggs didn't come boiled in cold
water, KNOWN they was bound ter be
done cooked in three minutes by it, The
people used to come fer NOR n five
miles ter Git the time NV dav ter set Their
clocks by-them at had 'em-an' them
ut hadn't took the longness in Their
shadders when [ says its grub-time at
noon. But shootin', Colonel, shootin's
whar / gifts 'em. Them breaker guns
(breech lOaders) NV yOurn gifts me, but
| hev 4 rifle in the cabin thar that beats
anythingfor shOOtin' [ ever seed. 'Taint
no breaker gun. [ busted the butt over
bars head t'Other day, an he bit the
sight off when | rammed it inter him,
but hits 4 good I'm. The squ'rls has
got ter KNOWN it an me. | alters sees
SOU RS eyes an nOthen else, an alters
hits him thar. One day awhile back
my dorg Spider he gifts one in a holler
tree, an l chops him out, an dern me.
ct he hadn patches on his two eyes
bits NV bark like, stuck on with cherry
tree gum-jist ter keep me from seem
him. never hunted none 'cept on wet
days arter that, when the gum wouldn't
stick. They had no chance afore they
80 ii'tt tIl'RN NONtSSC. lOI L hlil SIlOOA.
Come over to my place, Tim, and
we viii have frog nunt Ihey are
plenty IN the river; I'll paddle You.
Bring your rifle, | want 70 see YOU
shoot
Tim eyes danced. I'll come in the
mornin | don't eat no such varmints
no time, but III shoot more on 'em nor
You kin string on clio es line, if the hOl-
lerin,, duck-footed, WALLER beasts doesn't
stay under water when they knows I'm
comm. I'll lie over arly in the morn
in'.''
had supplied myself with half
dozen cast iron frogs especially for that
hunt; did 4 little extra painting on them
to make them look more natural, and
placed them in well selected positions
on the river banks, under roots, in grass,
on drift-lOgS, and one with its head just
above the water.
The next morning Tim arrived, and
after much boasting of what he could do
we got off in the slliff, Tim standing in
the bow and | sitting in the stern pad
ding. / soon took him to where he
could see one of the frogs
Hold on, Colonel! Thar's the all
fredest yaller belly | ever seed. See
aim thar sittin' as big as crow on a
corn hill; right under that root. RI pur-
posely kept off q distance and absolute
Iy refused to see him. Dern it, my ole
one-eyed gander could see him without
eockin' up his hull eye. Derned eff he
hain't propped his head up with them
fore-legs Nv his'n, jest ter show off an
look aswise as ole DR.. Mansy at a pulse
feelin'. Hold her steady till l pop
pill in him that i'll be harder on him
nor 'Ingin rootsn -" Bang! went Tins
rifle, but the frog sat still Tim looked
at him in establishment. He gave
quick glance at me to see if I was look
ing, and thinking [ wasnot, said: '.Weu
I'll be derned if thar hain't another I'm
sittin' right long side Nv him. They
goes in pairs this time NV year. I'll oft
him too" And he carefully reloaded
Bang! went the gun again, and the frog
did not move. We'll, that beats natur'.
He's so tarnel skeered at seem me he
can't cit over it 'nough to 90 dead"
Hold on, Tim, | said '.TlI hit him
with the oar You can't shoot.
''Shoot thunder!" said he. ''Hain't
he two bullets through him now?"
''Why no Tim; you said this was an
other frog.
so tbs, so It's. T'other un's bowed
cIar out NV sight = / maneuvered the
boat in shore while Tim was loading.
struck alongside the frog with the pad
die covering him with mud, and put him
into the boat under the seat.
''Nice shot you are, Tim; can't hit a
frog BIG as that at thirty PAGES in two