Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-12-06
Told by a Tree Toad
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I CAN trace the consequences that
befell me for my impersonation of
the tree toad to the deep-seated and
generous admira ton had in my early
childhood, thanks to my mother, for
the Divine Creator.
Apart from this the real cause OF my
distress was in a great measure as
sisted by my brother Will, who, for his
eight years, was perhaps the most
skillful manipulation OF other boys
troubles that ever thrived. In looking
back over my boyhood and upon reck-
oning up my downfalls, I can easily
and with justice hold him in great
measure responsible.
But he was my brother, older than
I, and 1 always listened to what l
imagined was the superior counsel. 1t
was he who induced me to become a
toad.
You shall read how 1t came about.
In the far west, where the events of
this tale are laid, there are long sum-
mer months, during which the mos
quito, the gnat, the grasshopper and
the quaint tree toad maintain fat
and healthy existence, never neglect
ing an opportunity to infest your dom
icile and make themselves perfectly
at home.
1t was my pleasure to assault these
intruders, and my mothers labor to
intervene in favor of the defenseless
creatures. She was woman of heart
and conscience and every living thing
was held above annoyance by her. Ere
quently the toad was the theme of a
discourse which my brother and re-
ceived from her knee.
One day tree toad dropped from
the pear tree that shaded the front
porch where Will and I sat receiving
our daily lesson in Christianity and
morals.
The arrival of the green toad, wild
eyed and somewhat overcome at his
surroundings, abled me to change
the converse ton.
"Mothcr," asked, why is the toad
green? Wouldn't blue or red do just
as well?"
mo, my child" she answered with
that gentleness which was so long in
learning to respect. God has made
the poor little creatures Of the earth
and air in such way that they may
find protection from their enemies
The grasshopper is the color of the
sand, the horned toad the color of the
rocks, the tree toad the color of the
trees, and SO on. When the tree toad
Is in the leaves it is hard for the birds
to find him. Therefore his color is his
protection. 1t is Gods way of caring
for His toads. And in all things He ex-
ercises the same watchfulness. If you
should look for the tree toad among
the foliage you would be long time
finding the little fellow"
I was greatly affected. But not to
the extent that my brother VIII was.
Presently the toad hoped from the
porch and disappeared among the
green grasses of the garden. Will
watched him thoughtfully for a mo.
msnt and then laid his deHlish plans.
Bob, got scheme. Come with
me" he whispered in my receptive ear.
Offering some trivial excuse to our
mother. we hurried away hand in hand,
and passing around the back of this
wide veranda my conscienceless broth.
er dragged me through hole under
the porch, and blindly following hi1p
L crawled along to corner of the
lattice work where he confdingly re-
moved painters packet and disclosed
to me a bucket of green paint left
there by the worlsmen who were re.
juvenating our happy little home.
AS on former occasions, was ready
to do his bidding. He swashed the
brush around in the green paint for
few moments and limbered it up.
"Now, Bobby" said he, turning to
me and holding up the brush. Pm GO
ing to make tree toad of you in about
five minutes. You know the reason
why? Mother said God made the tree
toad green so that the birds and the
toad catchers couldn't see him."
"But I don't want to be no toad,
WILL" demonstrated mildly.
ooh, yes, you do. Wait till tell you
why. If I make tree toad of you you
can climb up in the pear tree and hook
the pears father has forbidden us.
Don't you see. Bobby, they can't any.
body see you up there. You eat all
you want, and then throw some over
the fence to me. That's the beauty
about being tree toad. Come, now,
sit down on this box, and I'll make the
finest tree toad out Of you that ever
lived. The Lord will take care of Won
all right"
I xutfsrsd Kim Is proceed, II VIA