News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-05-26

coui.I't rest. AND YIN couldn't fetch
nothin for him to bet on but he'd
match you He ketched frog one day
and took him home and said he calk'-
lated to edercate him, and so he never
done nothin for three months but set
in his back yard and learn that frog to
jump. And you bet you he did learn
him too. He'd give him a little punch
behind, and the next minute you'd see
that frog whirlin in the air like a
doughnut-see him turn one summerset,
or maybe a couple, if he got good
start, and come down fiat footed and all
right, like a cat. He got him up so in
the matter of catchin flies and kept
him in practice so constant that he'd
nail fly every time as far as he could
see him. Smiley said all frog wanted
was education and he could do almost
anything, and l believe him. Why,
I've seen him set Dan'l Webster down
here ON this f1oor-Dan'l Webster was
the name of the frog-and sing out,
''Flies, Dan'l, fiesl' and quicker'n
you could wink he'd spring straight up
and snake fly off'n the counter there
and flop down ON the floor again as
solid as dab of mud and fall to scratch
in the side of his head with his hind
foot as Indifferent as if he hadn't no
idea he'd been doin any more'n any
frog might do. You never see frog so
modest and straightfor' ard, for all he
was so gifted. And when it came to
fair and square jumpin on a dead level
he could get over more ground at one
straddle than any animal of his breed
you ever see. Jumpin ON dead level
was his strong suit, you understand,
and when it come to that Smiley would
ante up money on him as long as he
had red. Smiley was monstrous proud
of his frog, and well he might be, for
fellers that had travelled and been every
where's all said he laid over any frog
that ever they see.
Well, Smiley kept the beast in a lit
tie lattice box, and he used to fetch him
down town sometimes and lay for a
bet. One day feller-a stranger in the
camp he was-come across him with
his box and says:
''What might it be that you've got in
the box?''
And Smiley says, sorter indifferent
like: "It might be parrot or it might
be canary, maybe, but it amt. It's
only just frog"
And the Teller took it and looked at
! 1t careful and turned it round this way
and that and says: "H'm-so tits.
Well, what's he good for?"
"Well," Smiley says, easy and care
less, "he's good enough for one thing,
I should judge-he can outjump any
frog in Calaveras county"
The Teller took the box again and
took another long look and give it back
to Smiley, and says, very deliberate,
"Well, | don't see no p'ints about that
frog that's any better n any other frog. I"
"Maybe you don't" Smiley says.
"Maybe you understand frogs, and may
be you don't understand 'em; maybe
you've had experience, and maybe you
ant only amature, as it were. Any
ways, I've got my opinion, and I'll risk
$40 that he can outjump any frog in
Calaveras county"
And the Teller studied a minute and
then says, kinder sad like, "Well, I'm
only stranger here, and 1 amt got no
frog, but if had frog I'd bet you"
And then Smiley says, "That's all
right-that's all right. If you'll hold
my box a minute, I'll go and get you a
frog" And SO the Teller took the box
and put up his $40 along with Smiley's
and set down to wait.
So he set there good while thinkin
and thinkin to hisself, and then he got
the frog out and priced his mouth open
and took teaspoon and filled him full
of quail shot-filled him pretty near up
to his chin-and set him on the floor.
Smiley he went to the swamp and
stopped around in the mud for a long
time, and finally he ketched frog and
fetched him in and give him to this fell
Ter and says:
"Now, if you re ready, set him along
side Of Dan'l, with his fore paws just
even with Dan l and I'll give the word. 4"
Then he says, ne-two-three-
jumpl' and him, and the Teller touched
up the frogs from behind, and the new
frog hoped off, but Dan'l give heave
and hysted up his shoulders, so, like a
Frenchman, but it want no use. He
couldn't bulge; he was planted as solid
as an anvil, and he couldn tho more stir
than if he was anchored out Smiley
was good deal surprised, and he was
Disguised, too, but he didn't have no
idea what the matter was, of course.
The Teller took the money and started
away, and when he was goin out at
the door he sorter jerked his t'umb over
his shoulder, this way, at Dan'l and
says again, very deliberate, well, 1
don't see no p'ints about that frog that's
any better'n any other frog"
Smiley he stood scratchin his head
and lookin down at Dan'l long time.