The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1893-05-20
Washbu1.n Leader.
BY R. H. COPELAND.
wAsHBURN, . NORTH DAKoTA
A ToAp's SUPPER.
How He Catches 1t and Enjoys Il
when Caught.

How He Catches 1t and Enjoys Il
When Caught.
Did you ever see a toad .NAtch and
eat his supper? That has ueen my good
fortune, and it was q revelation. l
was sitting one evening in my back
yard, co ltentedly smoking and look
ing with some pride at q small garden
patch, where 1 had spent many hours
on various vines and plants that were
now r%ewarding me by 4 vigorous
growth. The garden was the home
or resort Of many toads, and we had
become well acquainted with each 9TH
er, although I thought them rather a
stupid lot. It was comical, however,
when l accidentally disturbed n
among the leaves, or hauled him out of
the soft earth, where he was resting,
to see the little fellow puff himself out
to the point Of bursting and roll up the
whites Of his eyes at me with an ex-
preston Of sleepy %reproach. 1 think
they soon became accustomed to my
presence, and would only take n or
two hops from under my feet, and then
watch me with stupid gravity.
LII about finished my pipe, when
l observed n Of my toads coming
toward me along the path that led to
the garden. He was. as usual, quite
deliberate in his movements. A hop, a
long wait, and then another hop. AS
he came near my seat he eyed me SOL
EMMY for awhile, then hoped between
my feet and disappeared under the
chair. On turning around a few min
utes later, 1 saw him on the graveled
walk leading to the front Of the house.
Without any object I arose and strolled
after him. The sun had disappeared,
but it was light enough to see even a
small object at quite a distance. The
toad paid no attention to me as l came
up with him. Suddenly he made a
leap toward the edge of the path and
vanished from sight. l knew he had
not reached the grass border, and I
was puzzled at his strange disappear
ance. l took a step forward and
stopped Over the spot where he had
landed. The mystery was solved, al
though l could scarcely believe what
1 plainly saw. The toad was there,
but the fat, chunky body seemed liter
ally pasted to the walk, and was scarce
~ discernible from it. 1t looked as
If he might have been run over by a
cart wheel, SO perfectly flattened was
the body. AS l looked there was a
lightning change. Like a flash my toad
threw himself at the grass border,
I thought I saw a darting tongue, and
then he lcisurely hoped back to the
walk-the ain rotund. s~tupid-loOking
fellow l knew so well. l opened my
eyes very wide and followed him close
ly. Again and again was that marvel
fattening process repeated as he
caught sight Of objects to me utterly
invisible; again and again he launched
himself like an arrow into the air or
at a tuft of grass, and I do not believe
that he once missed his prey. In this
monne we traversed the whole length
of the WALK, when the toad turned and
retTacad his steps, or rather hops. 1t
was now quite dark and 1 babe him
good night. L had found out my friend
of the garden. Instead of being a
loggy, slow-moving animal, he was as
cunning as a cat and twice as active.
I am afraid he is something Of a hypo-
critic in his daily life, but who is not
more or less one? Every summer my
garden is filed with toads. I treat
them with profound respect. I hope
my old acquaintance is among them,
and l think he is. l have often noticed
n sleek-looking fellow hopping after
me as 1 move about, and it seems to
me there is q twinkle in his eye I see
in none of the others. Probably he
Is aware that he cannot humbug me
again with his pretended clumsy ways.
We understand each other.-Forest and
Stream.