The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-01-03
TADPOLE AND FROG.


"Taddy Pole and Polly wogg
Lived together in bog;
Here you see the very pool
Where they went TO sWimming-school.
"By and bys dts true but strange)
Ger them came a wondrous change;
Here you have them on a log,
Each most decided frog"
We had resolved to see this wondrous
change for ourselves, and this is the
way we accomplished it. The severe
winter of 80 and 81 was over. The
grass was green, the air mild, and the
orchards filled with bloom and singing
birds. The children, SO long shut in,
were rejoicing and searching the fields
for new wonders. The first buds to
swell, the first birds to build, had all
been noted, and now something else
must furnish entertainment. In the
farther corner of the orchard was low
place where little water now stood,
although it was dry the greater part of
the year. The croaking of some tune
full frog drew the children thither, and
soon home they came in procession,
arms outstretched, backs bent, eyes
fixed upon slippery masses they were
carrying upon pieces of bark. To be
sure they had spattered their clothes
and their feet were wet, but | long
since learned that knowledge is oftenest
obtained under difficulties, and here was
something new for US to learn. For
these little black balls each in the
center of a sphere of albumen were
nothing less than frogs eggs; there
were hundreds of them. We put some
into the chickens trough. some into a
jar of water, with bunch of wild grass
planted in earth at the bottom and a
screen over it, and some we put into a
saucer upon my workable.
How long the eggs had been upon the
water do not know, but about three
days after we found them they began to
undouble. Yes, undouble, that is the
very word; for this little taddy does
not grow until, like the chicken, it has
used the whole egg, but grows entirely
in the black center, then the long tail
which was doubled back on the side
straightens out, and after it has dozed
in nearly stupid condition on its side
for day, it rights up and commences
TO feed upon the rest of the egg. Soon
it could swim across and around the
world in which we put it, but pre-
ferred to remain quiet most of the
time. Neither music nor clatter moved
them, yet the slightest touch upon
the dish would set them into great con-
fusion.
How many lives were lost before we
found out what became of their tails,
can never tell. The tipping of the sau-
Ger by little hands often left one
stranded, and each one, down to the
three-year-old, must take the dish to
the sun for good look at them; and
then the hens, when they had grown to
be an inch in length, discovered they
were delicious food, and before we knew
it not one was left there to tell the sad
tale of all its mates.
The saucer was soon too small, and
some were put into large glass fruit
dish, where they chased each other
about, scattering the water and some
times leaping from it, as we knew
from the unfortunate ones which we
found on the table; but day by day they
grew on, and no one knew how. They
were kept in rain water and it was seldom
changed, but we never supplied them
with any food which we saw them eat.
For two months they swan or rested,
only larger, their bright eyes peering
from the edge of the water; but now
comes the discovery that they have h nd
legs, little weak things stretched back
against the tail. But a grander home
must be given them. A large tub was
placed under the cherry tree, earth put
in the bottom, and pile of stones in
the center, upon which they were ex-
pected to climb when their tails dropped
off; and many an hour was whiled
away as little chubby hands went swift
ly through the water to bring to light
for moment one of the slippery pets,
Children were amused, ladies
shocked, and old men marveled at our
proceedings, but as none could answer
our questions we watched on. In three
or four weeks after the hind legs were
seen, the fore legs pushed through,
often one at time, so while one was
out the other could be seen folded un-
der the skin; and to our great disap-
pointment they showed no intention of
mounting our stone-pile to leave now
useless appendage. Nature works in
no such wastefuI manner. The body,
which had been so almost jelly-like,
now shows more decided form, the head
lengthens, the bony framework dis
closes itself by points and angles here
and there, and ths tail, day after day,
narrows and shortsns until it all disap-
pears and the entire substance of it has
been taken into the body and utilized
there. Surely a wonder of wonders,
and at the last of August we have
perched upon our stone-pile tiny but
a demure-looking frog, developed GER
tainly week ahead Of the rest. Pa
tiently he waited for all of the family to
get ready, when they were carried by
the children. who had watched them so
long, to more congenial home. IL
tustrGted Christian Weekly.