The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-18
MISUNDERSTANDING
Millions of Them Hopping the
Ties Past Blencoe, Iowa
SOME WONDERFUL EVENTS
In the History Of the Ugly
Little Batrachian.
SOME WONDERFUL EVENTS

Chicago, Aug. 17.-An army Of track
hopping tramp toads has taken possess
ion Of the gravel roadbed OF the Sioux
City and Pacific railway. and in an un-
broken column miles in length. Is march
ing toad fashion past the good city OF
Blencoe, Ia. There are so many millions
in this mighty army that they cannt be
counted. and the ground Is brown with
the color thereof Some Of the Bleneoe
people are troubled at the visitation. be-
cause since time was toads have had at
tached to them and their doing ali sorts
OF countryside superstitions.
II the reports which come out Of the
toad-ridden land are accurate the batra-
chians are numerous enough, IL they
should divert their course from the rail
road into the village, to repeat Pharaoh's
plague OF the frogs, when the river
brought forth frogs abundantly, which
went up into the houses, and into the
bedchambers. and upon the beds, and
upon the people. and even into ovens and
into the kneading troughs."
Now the toad is not nearly 50 handsome
q being as Is his frog cousin. He never
could "a-wwoing CO. like his green-coat-
ed brother. despite the fact that Shakes
peare proclaims that his toadship has q
Jewel in his head. Ugly and venomous
the bard Of Avon writes him down. and
ugly an venomous to the peoples minds
he Is TO ih' day, although In reality he
ranks with the birds as humanity's best
friend. AS a matter OF fact, 1t is more
than likely that this brown skinned army
without banners is moving along in mill
tary array to meet the great winged
army Of Rocky Mountain locusts now
moving steadily eastward. and in Sher-
mans words, "foraging literally upon
the country
Even though the toads are so harmless
and helpful they doubtless will never get
any one to love them. 1t must be admit
ted that appearances are "agin" them.
The Blencoe people need not arrogate to
themselves any particular distinction on
account Of this DAD visitation, for In
scores of instances the toads have appear
ed in immense bodies, and in some cases
without any malace prepense have inaug-
ated veritable relgns of terror. Years
agone, in the little Puritan settlement Of
Windham, Conn.,. out OF which sprang
perhaps more notable American families
thain from any other colonial hamlet.
migration of toads led the people to be-
lieve that the tocsin in the last day had
HAa IA fhaU
summoned, SHINING and sinless, to ans
wer at the bar Of Judgment Tradition
says that the migration which brought
this fear upon the people was one Of the
frogs. Scientists OF today lean rather to
the toad theory. but 1t made little DIFF
ference to the frightened populace which
species Of batrachian brother Il was that
brought the croaknis horror Into their
midst.
Now Il happened that there lived In
windham two colonial colonies, big men
and dignified. by name Dyer and Elder
skin. 1t may do no harm at this late
day to say that both these military gen.
tlemen were rather fonder OF good living
so the story goes. than was perahps ex-
actly consistent with the strictest Puri-
tan theories. Then they were gallant
gentlemen withall. Some Of the elders
of the place looked q bit askance, per-
haps, at some Of the views Of Colonies
Dyer and Elderskln. There were slaves
in Connecticut at that day and Wndham
hel dts share.
One peaceful night In May the Puritan
families retired at their usual hour. can
die light" and at midnight were wrapped
nthe profoundest slumber. But no sleep
however, sound, could withstand the roar
that broke upon that peaceful hamlet
in the watches Of the night There was
blended the noise OF q million threats. 1t
was cultural. harsh, and horrible. and It
came out of the jetty blackness OF mid
night. The people of windham jumped
from their beds panic-stricken. threw on
what clothes they could. and rushed out
doors. many bearing pine torches. which
ate little light holes In the inky black
ness. The slaves were Frustrated with
fear and chung to the knees Of their mas
tiers. TIE noise ceaserd not for an in
slant, but on the contrary increased with
etvery moment. and then the added hor-
ror of all the noise found shape In words |
which one quick cared, imaginative wo-
man interpreted into this, all but two
people accepting the Interpretation read |
ny: Judgment day. judgment day. |
Colonel Dyer and Eldsrskin. too. and
catch a niger, too"
II Is perhaps needles sto say that the
only two people among the white inhab-
Dyer and EIderskin. In q few minutes
the light OF the torches bowed an i'm |
mense concourse Of frogs or toads bear
ing down the main street OF the town |
and croaking and "gluck glucking'' like |
a myriad Of night demons. II suddenly /
struck the people that IL judgment day /
was at hand, notwithstanding the fact
that Colonies Elderskin and Dyer seemed
10 have been siSnaled out by the wish
tants, the day Of accounting according TO 1
the Bible was an all embracing AFFAIR. l
and thereat they al started trembling
violently.
There f. living In Chicago Mrs. Char
Iotte Perkins Norris. who IL q direct de-
scendant Of the Colonel Edlerskiin whom
the batrachains called 20 judgment that
night Mrs Norris has heard the story
Of the invasion Of the village . score Of
times from theliDs Of her grandmothsr.
who a. q child was taken 10 see the
place from which the night disturOers
came To the days Of their death Cello
rels Dyer ana Elderskin were called
Frog Dyer and Frog Elderskin. aad
local Connsttieutt authorities are 70 BE
believed there has not been se<a from
that day to this either toad or frog
In the meadow and pond from fShie took
place that uasdnight migration