Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1889-07-22

perience is that bullfrogs will eat anything
except fish which they can take alive, If it is
one size smaller than themselves. Last fall,
in a slough of the Mississippi river, opposite
Alton, ILL.,, shot an extremely large bull
frog. Noting that the stomach was peculiar
ly dietended, opened it and found therein a
mud turtle fully as large in circumference as
silver dollar. The head was turned around
to the side and closely pressed up under the
edge of the shell, and was stiff and rigid in
that position. There were no signs Of di-
gestion having commenced on any portion of
the turtle, and have often wondered If the
gastric juice would ever have proved equal
to dissolving and digssting the turtle shell.
Ten days ago, while fishing with live min
nows for croppy among some driftwood in
this same slough, I saw a large bullfrog
sitting on a piece of light driftwood some
feet to the left of my line. Out of Curl
osity drew my minnow up and dangled
1t within an inch of his nose, but, beyond
lazily blinking his big yellow eyes, he paid
no attention to 1t. But when held my
float, the top of which was a bright red,
down to the surface of the water near him,
he made vicious lunge and snap at it.
Acting on the hint. I cut small piece of
red leather from the inside of my boot.
top, and, putting 1t on my hook, held 1t
near his nose He made the same hungry
grab at it, and in minute I landed him
high and dry on the bank. From this and
other experiences, judge that large bull
frog will eat anything that comes within
reach. If it has bright color and seems
attraction for them"
Think of that. The frog would fain
swallow a whole fishing float. Did any
angler ever hear of trout or bass at
tempting to swallow his float in such
ways Why, therefore, should not the frog
be accredited with even better game quail
ties than theya There are few fish which one
can take on piece of red flannel or portion
of red boot lining. Any game fish should
be possessed of an absorbing and uncontrol-
ling appetite, urging him constantly on to
deeds Of reckless daring; but what appetite
can compare with that of the full blown
bullfrog on his native heathi Witness the
following, which another writer says:
"Last summer friend and myself were
frog hunting on the Milwaukee river few
miles from Milwaukee, Wis. My friend, a
| school teacher, engaged in instructing GLASS
| in anatomy, proceeded to enlighten me on
| the subject by becoming demonssrator of
| anatomy on the body of large bullfrog
| had just shot. Imagine our surprise upon
opening the stomach to discover-head, legs,
| feathers and all-the partially digested body
Of small snipe, commonly known here as
| tip-up. Another hunter relates that while
| out cunning with friend in New Jersey two
or three years since he shot bluebird,
which fell at the edge of pond. The bird
couldn't be found, and his companion in
sisted that 1t had not been hit. Passing the
place short time after, he killed at the edge
of the pond large bullfrog. Picking the
animal up he discovered protruding from
it's mouth pair of birds feet, which
proved to be attached to the bluebird he
had recently shot, as proved by twenty
two calibre bullet hole in it's body"
Yet other and even more formidable In.
| stances of the game qualities of the frog
could be adduoed, and are withheld only
| through misgiving lest some carping critic
should stigmatize them as fish stories; al
though they would really be nothing but
some simple, harmless frog stories. There
is an unworked field of literature about the
frog and if some of our eastern novelists
would pause in their mad search for noun
tain noonshine heroines and devote their an.
alytio pens to this sweet singer of the marsh
lands, they might find something to help out
their plots, to add interest to their pages,
and to bring into greater prominence char
acter which has been too long neglected.
THE DIM LAND OF SHADOWS.
strange Stories OF the Shades of tn
II Departed Returning to Earth.
/! A prize of five dollars was recently OF
} fered by the Detroit Tribune for "the bes
= original ghost story" Here is ono of tn
best among the dozen or more that wer
, published
Do doubt that the spirit of the departe
can return to earth and appear to mana Nc
I know it can. There was a time when
would have laughed to scorn the idea G
spirit communication, but not since the lot
day of June, 1874.
At my old home in Michigan I had
friend. We were inseparable, and in on
boyhood days owned all our toys in common
We read the same books and thought tn
same thought. We were graduated in tn
same class from tho high school, entered CO
lege together, occupied the same room
Joined the same eecret society, and in th
rushes on the campus were always shoulds
: to shoulder.
1t was in our sophomore year that Dav,
. my friend, was called home by the sudde
death of his father. Part of the assets {
the estate consisted Of valuable mining proI
, menced the work of getting matters int
shape when he received intelligence that un
, less he went at once to the mines the entir
property might be lost through the rascalit
| of manager. Forced to go, he made aJ
ing trip to the college to see me, and We IS
| the night through talking over our plans fo
, the future, and then with sadness We parte
|, | for the first time in our lives.
In about ten days I received long lette
a from him giving q description of his tri
and the condition of things as he foun
them at the mines. They were fully AS ba
4 | as had been represented and Dave said
feared trouble was brewing, as the books ha
Q been hidden by the manager, Who was &C
+ ing ugly.
+ Dave that hung over me like cloud.
= could not rid myself of the possibilities COL
| tanned in his words, 81 fear trouble Is brew
I ing," for feared that his impetuous natu
and fearlessness would lead him into a trs
1t was week later, on the evening OF JuI
10th, that went early to bed with pr
sentiment of danger to my friend upon n
l. that was almost overpowering, and at Ia
fell into a troubled sleep.
How long I slept I do not know, but
some hour in the night my eyes opened wi
,r and saw the room filed with a soft, VIII
le but ghastly light. Every article on the ma
10 tie, the furniture and even the titles on
r. backs of the books on the table stood @
is distinct and clear. Suddenly my heart
ID most stopped beating and my hair raised
le awful horror, for there, standing at the fc
sr of our bed, was Dave-my Dave-but wi
e- a face as white as the face of the dead a
70 eyes that seemed to be looking into nothin
g. ness, pointing with his finger to a bullet h
Of in his temple.
N 'sDave," I cried, "where did you col
It. froms What does this mean7'
OF "Hist! Do not approach me. Do you !
is member the agreement We once made out
80 the orchard to return again to the hvi
lie should death take one of US irstF
IN "This night, John, I met my death In
" deserted lead in the old Eagle mine. I
Of days I searched for the hidden books,
oy watched closely by Palmer, the manager, q
* this afternoon found a clew to them.
went to bed in the cabin tonight Is usu
~ but Watching my chance when believed
a asleep crept quietly out, and with sho
or and lantern came down into the mine to t
y, lead. In the far end, near where q jage
If piece of rock stands out, found newly q
all earth and commenced to dig. I was righ
I'M | the books were there. I heard noise
nd hind me, and turned my face to rece
ay from revolver in Palmer's hand this bu
OK In my brain. He has buried my body
ID meath the mass of rock he dislodged,
N. hidden the books In hole he made on
ar- left side of the entrance. Rememt
eg FAREWELL"
iii. His face faded from my view. spr
of from my bed, dressed and rushed to the
ell egraph Office and sent this message to
dy sheriff at Tucson:
ws "Arrest Robert Palmer, of the Es
Ice mines, for the murder of D. T. c."
ito I left for home that night, secured the
rat cessary funds and started for Arizona