The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-05-28

How Toad Undressed.
A peal of laughter from the back
yard aroused Mrs. Lee from her after
noon nap with start that set her hes d
to aching very violently again. She
had lain down to sleep off this disagree
able headache, and was peacefully slum-
berng on the sofa in her cool, dark
ened parlor, lost to everything about
her in restful sleep, when the up
roarious laughter of her children startled
her.
60 dearl l shall go wild if this head
ache does not leave me SOON" said
Mrs. Lee to herself, as she pressed her
hands to her throbbing temples. She
again closed her eyes to try and sleep,
when the children's merriment took eX-
ira force, and the laughter changed to
a scream. The tumult seemed as though
its object might be to frighten off a
band of Indian braves.
Rest is impossible" sighed Mrs.
Lee, with such noisy group of chill
dren at play so near the house" She
arose languidly and threw open the
blinds of the window that opened
toward the garden. The children stood
in circle, watching something on the
ground with great interest, while
screams of laughter told quite well that
they had found something uncommon.
Mrs. Lee stepped upon the porch, half
forgetting her headache in the excite
.nent that seemed catching" like a
fever.
80, mamma, )" exclaimed Allie, when
she saw her mother watching them.
Come here and see what we have
found.n
Do come, mamma" cried all the
children in chorus, as they clapped
their hands and shouted at the top of
their voices.
" Hush, children" said Mrs. Lee, as
she went slowly down the walk. You
will alarm the neighborhood if you are
not quiet"
You will laugh, too cried Willie
in his boisterous way, when you see
what this toad is doing" and they
made room for her in the circle.
Mrs. Lee came upon the scene in
time to see the toad give little con.
vulsive gulp at something it was swal.
lowing and then hop away.
Well, what is there so much out OF
the ordinary run of toad's conduct in
eating, and after swallowing its food
hop away to find something else it may
devour. If that is what caused all this
noise, | must say you are easily
amused" Their crestfalen appear
ance amused her for moment, wher
Willie exclaimed:
40, mamma, it was awful funny
for he swallowed his clothesr
Swallowed his clothes 7" How
absurd"
He really did swallow his skin
mamma exclaimed Harry, the eldest
1T looked so much like he undresseC
and swallowed his clothes, that Willie
calls it swallowing his clothes.'"
That surely was curious. | an
sorry | did not see the performance.
go, there is another toad going tC
undress," exclaimed Willie, pointing tC
one only few feet away.
The lady and her children now gath
cred around another large toad. 1t wal
acting queer, and they watched it Will
interest to see what it would do. 81
Toad appeared sluggish and quite un
conscious of their presence, while h'
pressed his elbow against his side ant
rubbed downward.
After few smart rubs his skin be
gan TO burst open along the back, bu
he kept rubbing until he had worked al
his skin into folds on his sides and hips
He then grasped one hind leg with hi
hands, which looked almost human, ant
pulled the skin from that leg.
"Off comes his left pant-leg ,
shouted Willie. An explosion of laugh
ter followed, and then all became quiet
awaiting the next move, which was tn,
removal of the right pant-leg.
He now pulled his cast-off carmen
forward, between his fore legs into hi
mouth and swallowed it.
Why don't you give your old pant
to an orphan, or sell 'em to rag man
Mr.. Toady?" queried the jocose Willie
in such a comical tone that Mrs lie
joined heartily in the laugh.
Mr.. Toady paid no attention to thi
question. He was raising and lowerin
his head, swallowing rs his head cam
down, thus stripping off his skin fror
his abdomen until he came to his fore
legs.
"Now he is going to pull off hi
sleeve" said Allie.
Grasping one of the fore legs wit
the opposite hand, by considerable pull
ing he stripped off the the skin.
He now by slight motion of tn
head, and all the time swallowing, DIRE
the skin from the neck, and swallowe
the last of his late costume. But h
was none the poorer, because he no
appeared in a dazzling new suit, an
seemed well cOntented with himse
over his new spring clothes and heart
dinner.
He now hoped away, while Mr.
Lee laughed heartily with the children
who almost shrieked with merriment.
| 4 meric0n RurnI HO1ne