Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-03-18


gone alone far enough, and the money was
Ill up, and he come to make a snatch for
his pet holt, he saw in minute how he'd
been imposed on and how the other dog had
him in the door, SO to speak, and he 'peared
surprised, and then he looked sorter dis
couraged like, and didn't try no more to
win the fight, and so he got chucked out
bad. He gave Smiley look, as much as
to say his heart was broke, and it was his
fault, for putting up dog that hadn't no
hind legs for him take hold of, which was
his main dependence in fight, and then he
limped off piece and laid down and died. |
1t was a good pup, that Andrew jackson,
and would have made name for hisself it
he'd lived, for the stuff was in him and he
had genius-I know it, because he hadn't
no opportunities to speak of, and it don't
stand to reason that dog could make such
fight as he could under them circumstances
if he hadn't no talent. 1t always makes me
feel sorry when l think Of that last fight OF
his'n, and the way it turned out.
''Well, thish-yer Smiley had rattarriers
and chicken cocks, and tomcats, and all
them kinds of things, till you couldn't rest,
and you couldn't fetch nothing for him to
bet on but he'd match you. He ketched
frog one day, and took him home, and said
he callated to educate him; and so he new
er done nothing for three months but set IN
his back yard and learn that frog to jump;
And you bet he did learn him, too. He'd
give him little punch behind, and the next
minute you'd see that frog whirling in the
air like doughuut-see him turn one sum-
merset, or may be couple, if he got good
start, and all right, like cat. He got him
up SO in the matter of catching flies, and
KEEP him in practice so constant, that he'd
nail fly every time as fur as he could see
him. Smiley said all frog wanted was
education, and he could do most anything
and I believe him. I've seen him set Dan'l
Webster down here on this floor-Dan'l
Webster was the name ofthe frog-and sing
out, Files, Dan'l, f1iesp and quicker'n you
could wink he'd spring straight up and
snake fly off'n the counter there, and Hop
down on the floor ag'in as solid as COB OF
mud, and fall to scratching the side OF his
head with his hind foot as Indifferent as if
he hadn't no idea he'd been dom more'n
any frog might do. You never see frog
SO modest and straight for'ard as he was,
for all he was so gifted. And when it came
to fair and square jumping on dead level,
he would get over more ground at one strad-
die than any animal of his breed you ever
see. Jumping on dead level was his
strong suit, you understand; and when it
come to that, Smiley would anty up money
OH him as long as he had a red. Smiley
was monstrous proud of his frog, and well
he might be, for fellers that had travelled
and been everywheres, all said he laid over
any frog that ever they see.
''Well, Smiley KEEP the beast in a little
lattice box, and he used to fetch him down
town sometimes and lay for bet. One day
a feller-a stranger in camp, he was-come
acrost him with his box, and says:
"'What might it be that you've got in
the box p
Sand Smiley says, sorter Indifferent like,
lit might be parrot or it might be cana
ry, maybe, but it an't-it's only just a frog.
"And the Teller took it and looked at it
carefully, and turned it round this way and
that, and says, H'G-so'tis. Well, what's
! he good for?
''WeN, Smiley says, easy and careless,
hes good enough for one thing, | should
Ijudge-he can out jump any frog in Gala
veras county.
''The Teller took the box again, and took
another long, particular look, and gave ii
back to Smiley, and says, very deliberate.
WELL, he says, 4 don't see no p'ints about
that frog that's any better'n any other
, frog ,
MAY Ue you QOll Z I3Hiil0y, Gays. MAY DC
you understand frogs and maybe you don't
understand 'em, maybe you've had expert
! ence, and maybe you amt only amature,
and I'll resk forty dollars that he can out
jump any frog in Calaveras county.
'And the Teller studied minute, and
then says, kinder sad-like, well, Pm only
a stranger here, and I amt got no frog; but
if [ had frog I'd bet YOu'
I sand then Smiley says, That's all right
; that al right-if you'll hold my box a
minute, I'll go and get you a frog And
SO the Teller took the box, and put up his
forty dollars along Smiley's, and set aoEn
to wait.
$50 he set there good while thinking OF
hisself, and then he got the frog out and
priced his mouth open, and took teaspoon
and filled him full of quail shot-filled him
petty well up to his chin-and set him on
the floor. Smiley, he went to the swamp
and stopped around in the mud for a long
time, and finally he izetched a frog, and
fetched him in, and gave him to this Teller
and says:
"tNow, if your ready, set him along side
of Dan'l, with his fore paws just even with
Dan'Ps, and I'll give the word. Then he
says. One-two-three-git!' and him
| slu tuC lcatEf GOuCutu up buo lIoSS 1IoM Dc-
hind, and the new frog hoped offlively, but
Dan'l gave heave, and hysted up his
shoulder-so-like Freleh msn, but it
warn't no use-he couldn't bulge; hs was
planted as solid as church. and he couldn'
no more stir than if he was anchored out
Smiley was good deal surprised, and he
was disguised, too, but he didn't have no
idea what the matter was of course.
''The Teller took the money and started
away; and when he was going out at the
door, he sorter jerked his thumb over his
shoulder so-at Dan'l, and says again,
very deliberate, well, he says, 4 don't see
no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n
any other frog
''Smiley, he stood scratching his head and
looking down at Dan'l long time; at last
he says, 4 do wonder what in the nation
that frog throwed off for. wonder if there
amt something the matter with him-he
pears to look mighty baggy, somehow
And he ketched Dan'l by the nape of the
neck, and hefted him, and says, why,
blame my cats if he dom weigh five poundsp
and turned him upside down and he belch-
ed out a handful of shot. And then he see
how it was, and he was the maddest man
he set the frog down and took out after that
Teller, but he never ketched him. And"
| lhC1o ClluUl w uoelor uedrQ Ills name
called from the front yard and got up to
see what was wanted. And turning to me
as he moved away, he said: 'Justset where
you are, stranger, and rest easy amt go
ing to be gone a second.
But, by your leave, did not think that
continuation of the history of the enterpris-
ing vagabond, Jim Smiley, would be likely
to afford me much information concerning
the Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley, and so start
ed away. At the door met the sociable
| Wheeler returning, and he button-holed me
and re- commenced:
Well, this-yer Smiley had yaller one
eyed COW that didn't have no tail, only Just
a short stump like bannanner, and
| However, lacking both time and inclina-
ton, did not wait to hear about the af.
fiicted cow, but took my leave.-Saointom's
Story Teller.
The following occurrence took place in
Huntsville, Ala:
During the slate unpleasantness,"
Southern lady sent bouquet to Federal