Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-11-16

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4 nothing could be seen. In the
morning many dead frogs were
found upon the shore.
No wounds were visible; no marks
of violence could be seen; no cause
for the strange commotion could be
found. Some argued that there
had been a battle, but there was
never any evidence to support this
/ theory. Others advanced the idea
that some mysterious, malarial con-
tagion, some deadly epidemic, had
broken ont and caused the cries of
distress which had driven terror to
the hearts Of the Windham villagers.
This theory, too, has been laughed
at, and the truth is that the cause
Of the great disturbance has always
been q dark, impenetrable mystery.
The state of mind of the towns
people the next morning can better
be imagined than described. All
seemed sick with humiliation at the
ludicrous ending of their frantic
fright of the evening before. Squire
Etderkin was particularly mortified,
and is reported to have suffered
two-weeks' sickness and confine-
ment to his chamber, during which
he was said to have frequently stated
that he had much rather have lost
his scalp than to have been the VIC
tim of such a huge joke.
1t is wonderful how the story of
the Windham frogs sought out and
found every little nook and corner
of the country. There were no rail
roads, no telegraphs or newspapers
in those days. The estage coach was
the only means of intercommunica-
tion. Yet the story, greatly exag-
gerated and elaborately dressed up
by the imagination, was told and
retold in almost every tavern in the
land.
The Windham wits had been ia
mons for years. Those who had
suffered at their hands now eagerly
seized the opportunity to pay back
old scores with usurious interest.
Ballads were written; songs were
composed and sung; and every
chance for practical joke was util-
lied. Colonel Dyer was delegate
to the first Congress held in New
York. During his journey to that
city some wag tied an immense frog
to the rear of his carriage. His
arrival was said to have been greeted
with shouts and laughter, and the
joke became the talk of the city.
On one occasion Squire Elderkin
was said to have been making a very
learned and eloquent plea, when
some buffoon raised the shout of
"Colonel Dyer and Elderkin too,"
in the long-drawn tones which the
frogs had made famous. The judge
lost his gravity, the jury laughed,
and the audience shouted in the
most boisterous manner. The
Squire, famous for his self posses
sion, lost his temper. which greatly
added to the amusement of the on
lockers.
The humiliation of the Wind
hamites, however, soon passed away,
and they regained their native
shrewdness. Colonel Dyer was the
first to turn the tide. He adopted
the bull-frog as coat-of-arms; he
had a metal frog made for door
knocker, and in various other ways
showed his disposition to accept the
situation good naturedly. The
Squire soon saw this was the better
way, and felt very kindly toward
the Colonel for his tact in stemning
the current of popular persecution.
He ever after accepted any mention
of the frog story with a smile and
apparent good-nature, although it
was generally believed that the
smile was forced and the good-na-
ture was entirely assumed.
The memorable fright had one
good effect. Colonel Dyer and
Squire Elderkin became fast friends.
Peace and good willreigned through
out the community, and the little
village has since BECOME noted for
the spirit of neighborly kindness
and brotherly love which seems to
hover over it and peryade the very
air.