Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-09-08

the finest opal, and lei
the color of which we
strawberry. What
81 think the ncckiaS
replied. '.But you mu2
the stones are. for | can
l have never seen anytI
nor do they tally witt.
that | remember
Nine. Yalois looked
"Ah, madame. / can
she said, spreading her
nor can any one, i
have been examined IA
learned in such things
a name given to them.
ty now, but when the vi
wearer's neck acts uud
glow Ii e rubies. The h 8
beconet transparent, and
a toan is carved upon il.
in our family a century
many celebrated iewelenI
have seen it. / never dr
should be the first to GET
mystery, but | think |
1t was by reading your
madame. You look astos
is true. | am much indel
Shakespeare said Nine. "
a wonderful man he
while reading his plays a.
problem that was puzzled
fitions of our family. IA
what he said: Like a To-
venomOus, still hides . ID
in his head
MY necklace, | am ase
of those jewels that are M
your Shakespeare. l will "a
reasons for thinking 50.
You must know that / h
non a very old, yet still
chateau, which | now
American.
"A hundred and fifty yea1
family resided there, aud
Valois brought home to the
very gay and pretty Pad
Nine. Valois, coming a yon1
her husbands chateau n
thought it gray and gloomx
that after Paris it was verv
be sure there was a great
il was so infested with toad
first her walks among the
ways ended in her flying ho6
an agony of terror, CRYING
little wretches were too dis}
endure.
''One day. however, as She
a bench beside an old stone
she heard close to her a it'd
noise, and saw squatting cd
her on the bench a little toad
quite still and made this little]
musical sound continualIy.
were fixed upon her, and Sic
that they were very bright.
Poor little thing she saj
self. Really, it looks hungr1
having a little cake in her pa
crumbled it upon the bench.
THE toad looked at her a.
so, and when she said kiHdlya
toady. is your breakfast, it id
ward and ale every cramb.
did a strange thing. 1t sat
launches and touched its foref2
forehead, as al oriental does
an obeisance, and hoped aw
The next day Mime. Valoi4|
thinking of the toad, and when
ate anything she liked very nd
saved some bits, saying Toaiy|
like that; and at sunset She wed
fountain, carrying a basket, I
down upon the old bench.
Not five minutes had 81
seated there when she heard q
singing sound, ana there sprun
bench beside her the toad She
the day before and four of th9
charming little toads any one y
evidently Mime. Toad's family.
''She sat in the middle, with
each side of her, and they /
crumbs Mime. Yalois gave the1
when all were gone Nine. Toad
q salutation rs on the first oceasl
hoped away backward, as peo5
expected to retire from the roya|
ence. and Mime. Valois went hol
wrote in her journal-which 1
served to this day-all the pariis
have recounted TO you.
She was now quite in low
Nine. Toad, and every day she !
the same hour to feed the little
ures. She was very young an
much afraid of her husband, VII
a very grave, elderly man. and
like nonsense, so she did not teI
| anything about all this. but Ike
secret for her diary until winter
J Then indeed she was Obliged Il
fide the matter to her maid. 4
dearth of insects caused a
among the toads, or so she SUI
for when she went to the fountai
dreds of them came and squatte'
her with pleading looks in thei
bottle-shaped eyes, and al thei
hands clasped imploringly.
When she saw them thus ass
for the first time. Nine. Vaiois
them this speech.
My pretty little toads. | 10
all. You are my tenants, bein'
on my ground. / assure you yo
not starve. Every morning and
evening you shall be fed
After this the maid always
a basket of food to the benC
madame distributed it. The Al
toads swallowed the last crumb.
Toad thanked her rs at first. an
they hoped. All this and nut
she has written in her diary.
Time passed on and one da.
come a baby to the clIateau-a
full little girl. Madame was yer
py, but she did not forget her
Every day the maid fed them a
ported to her. As she lay in b
often said to her baby: AT.
when you ire able to take mott
shall see my toads.' But while
still an invalid a very curious
happened.
The winter was passing;the
mild; the window of her chamb
left open, and one evening, VII
nurse was absent for a time,
Valois suddenly saw a dark obj
pear on the window-sill-ano'h
another. .
1.-The toads. she said TO hers
watching, saw tie great thron'
she had fed drop from the sill IL
room and approach the bed.
".How | would have screamet
she writes in her diary. But
loved them, and / knew well ttf
loved me. Good evening, NJ
toadies," l said. '.Do you want
my baby?n Then the room "
of the faint little toad music, an
ed my Celestine and held her u
one by one the toads hoped to t
looked at her, hoped down the
side and out of the window
"Mme Toad was the last OF a
made obeisance as in the garden
four toadlets remained upon th
and looked up at Us.
Before the nurse returned tn
was empty again. but ly;saga at m,
l found a string OF exquisite. Je'
beads-a chain or necklace sue
had never seen before. The toa
brought it to me, and | wore 1t
CeleStine's christening, where