The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-31
TIE PRICES FROG HUNT.
BY ToBE HODGE.

1 ton rs n IcJlOW YOU cOuiu pohe dA1 :
thing into and he'll b'lieve it, - He
boosted SO much about ''stuffin me
that found whenever 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 a good rifle shot and very
proud of it. His pride vibrated between
| the ownership of rifle and watch
| A trade was to him worth days fast
ing. and he would go any distance for
| dicker.
Il tell you, Colonel, I've got it down
| to D ints. / trades my watch for a rifle
when the game gifts ready for shootin,
an my rifle for watch when thar's
nothin', an the days gifts too long fer
an honest day ; work if you stop by the
| sun. Thar's no man Twin kin beat me
sbootin', an thar's no Twin man kin
! ledge the innards in. watch better nor
/ kin / had a watch onst that the skin
'ud come right off the taters when it
said half an hours b'ilin', an there
were no fire under the kittle; an derned
if 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 five
miles ter git the time NV day ter set Their
clocks by-them at had 'em-an' them
at hadn't took the longness in Their
shadders when l says its grub-time at
noon. But shootin', Colonel, shootin's
whar | gifts 'em. Them breaker guns
(ITeech loaders) nv yourn gifts me, but
l hev a rifle in the cabin thar that beats
ANYTHING for shootin / ever seed. faint
no breaken-gun. | busted the butt over
bars head t'other day, an he bit the
sight off when | rammed it inter him,
L 4 - ~,
cot ter KNOWN it an me. | alters sees
"a squirt eyes an nothen else, an alters
hits him thar. One day awhile back
my dorg Spider he gifts one in holler
tree, an | chops him out, an dern me,
eff he hadn't patches on his two eyes
bits NV bark like, stuck on with cherry
tree oum-iist 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
lsrned that dodge, for / kin shoot
Come over to my place, Tim, and
we will have frog hunt They are
plenty on the river; I'll paddle you.
Bring your rifle. l want to see you
shoot.
Tins eyes danced. I'm come in the
mornin'. | don't eat no such varmints
no time, but I'll shoot more on 'em nor
you kin string on clo'es line, if the hol-
lerin' duck-footed, WALLER beasts doesn't
stay under water when they knows I'm
comm I'll be over 'arly in the morn
in -
| had supplied myself with half
dozen east iron frogs especially for that
huntj did little extra painting on them
to make them look more natural, and
placed them in we'll 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 skiff, Tim standing in
the bow and | sitting in the stern pad
ding. l soon took him to where he
could see one of the frogs
Hold on, Colonel! Thar's the all
firedest yaller belly | ever seed. See
him thar sittin' as big as crow on a
corn hill; right under that root. L pur-
posely kept off distance and absolute
ly refused to see him. Dern it, my ole |
One-eyed gander could see him without |
cockin' up his huh eye. Derned eff he |
lhaaiiRRs,t pg2Rped his Aead up with them
fore-legs NV his'n, jest IaaF E show of an
look as wise as ole DIR. Mansy at a Pulse |
feelin' Hold her steady till / pop a
nor 'Ingin rootst " Bang went Tins |
rifle, but the frog sat still Tim looked |
at him in establishment. He gave a
quick glance at me to see if | was look
ing, and thinking L was not, said well
III be derned if thar hain't another uD
sittin' right long side NV him. They
goes in pairs this time NV year. I'll git
him too And he carefully reloaded.
Bang! went the gun again, and the frog
did not move ''Well, that beats natur'.
He's so tarnel skeered at seem me he
can't git over it 'nough to go dead
Hold on, Tim, l said. ii 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"
$50 it's, so it's. T'other un's bowed
clar out Nv sight" | Unanswered 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.
Mice shot you are, Tim; can't hit a
frog big as that at thirty PAGES in two
shots. Tim said nothing, being much
occupied examining his rifle. Pretty
soon he spied another iron one.
Nov, by thunder, I'll show if can't
shoot. There haint no man nowhere in
West Virginny kin beat me shOotin'.
Hold on now. Thar he is under that
rock Yer too far-back a bit-tharr'
| had wire running to a small float
from this one, which | got hold of from
the boat AS Tim fired / ierked the
frog into the water: missed again"
| said Better let me kill them with the
oar, Tim. :"
''Go-Well, never, said Tim, think
ing better of it. Tibet bar must hev
chawed the bar'l crooked when he bit
off the sight, and Tim sighted along
his gun. mo, faint faint the pow
der, neither, nor the cap, nor the ball,
coz [ run EN- myself. By gosh! Col
onel hits the patches. l made EN- out
NV Seth Jones' old boot legs. an he's
allus drunk. Hits the derned patches.
They's 50 used to wobblin' they can't
stop, an soaked 'em, too; / thought
the water smelled of whisky"
'EPshaw! Tim. You re like all the rest
here. You're the best man until you're
tried Any boy ought to shoot frog"
"Now, lookee yer, Colonel; wouldn't
low jedge on the bench to say / can't
shoot, nohow, without gettin' fined for
an Iwuz once fer only tellin'
the jedge he was an ole fool. An
toll Io1I %aly off ha fine L |