Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-06-24
The Jumping Frog of caIaveras.

Mark Twain, who is better known
by this nom de plume than by his real
name of Samuel L. Clemens, is having
hard luck in his old age. The failure
of the publishing house in which he
was interested swept away all his for
tune, and he has been trying by hard
work-lecturing and writing-to get
on his feet again. He is at present in
London, England, where he has just
finished a new book. His friends have
recently started subscription for his
benefit, which will be given as testi-
monial to Americas S most popular hu-
morist. One Of his earliest and best
stories was "The Celebrated Jumping
Frog of Calaveras County" which we
publish herewith as an example Of
Mark IVAN lun.
There was a feller here once by the
name of Jim Smiley, in the winter OF
lS49-or maybe it was in the spring
of 1861 don't recollect exactly,
somehow, though what makes Inc think
it was one or the other is because re-
member the big Aume wasn't finished
when he first came to the camp; but,
anyway, he was the curiousest man
about, always bettin on anything that
turned up, you ever see, if he could get
anybody to bet on the other side, and
if he couldn't he'd change sides. Any
way that suited the other man would
suit him-any way, just SOS he got a
bet, he was satisfied. But still he was
Iucky-uncommon lucky. He most
always come out winner. He was al
ways ready and layin for chance
There couldn't be no solit'ry thing
mentioned but that feller'd offer to bet
on it and take any side you please, as
| was Just tellin you. If there was a
horse race, you'd find him flush or you
find him busted at the end of it; il
there was a dog fight, he'd bet on it
if there was a cat fight, he'd bet on it
if there was a chicken fight, he'd BET
on it. Why, if there was two bird:
settin on fence, he would bet you
which one would fly first, or if there
was camp meetin he would be there
reg lar to bet on Parson Walker, which
hejudged to be the best exhorter about
here, and so he was, too, and a good
man. If he even seen a straddlebug
start to go anywheres, he would BET
you how long it would take him to get
wherever he was goin to, and II you
took him up he would foller that strad'
dlebug to Mexico but what he would
find out where he was bound for and
how long he was on the road. Lots oi
the boys here has seen that Smiley and
can tell you about him. Why, 1t new
er made no difference to him-he
would bet on anything-the dangdest
feller. Parson Walkers wife laid very
sick once for a good while, and II
seemed as if they warn't goin to save
her, but one mornin he come in, and
Smiley asked how she was, and he SAID
she was considerable better-thank the
Lord for his inf nit mercy-and comm
on so smart that, with the blessln o.
Prov dence, she'd get well yet, and
Smiley, before he thought, says well
III risk $3.50 that she don't, anyway.
This yer Smiley had mare. The
BOYS called her the fifteen minute nag
but that was only in fun, you know
because, of course, she was faster thar
that, and he used to win money OF
that horse, for all she was so slow anc
always had the asthma or the distem
per or the consumption or somethln o
that kind. They used to give her 2OC
or 800 yards start and then pass he
under way, but always at the fag enc
of the race she'd get excited and des
peratelike and come cavortin anC
straddlin up and scatterin her leg
around timber, sometimes in the al
and sometimes out to one side amongs
the fences, and kicking up more dus
and raisin more racket with her cough
in and sneezin and BLOWN her nose
and always fetch up at the stand jus
about neck ahead, as near as vol
could cipher it down.
And he had little small bull pul
that to look at him you'd think b