The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-22
REMARKABLE FROG. THIS.
Andrew jackson SwItzcr's story of
Uncle Hopper.

FROM Nue new Aolh sun
Whenever Andrew Jackson Switzer OF
Urbana Wine Cellars came to town, he had
TO tell the story of Uncle Hopper to some
anxious inquirer and, although he had
been obliging all Corners with the tale. II
seemed ever new, ever strage but he says
he doesn't think he will ever ten It again.
He said that once before. after he had told
the story 10 Tom Dooner of Philadelphia,
Tom tainted; but he was induced TO recon
slider his resolution. Nevertheless, he de
clares now that he doesn't think he viii
ever tell it again This determination, he
says, is the result Of the scant courtesy the
story received from Col Jim Jones OF the
Aquarium and Counsellor Ed Hassett
Both Col Jim and Counsellor Hassett are
sons of old Steuben too. which hurts Mr.
Switzer ali the more.
| The last time he was in town. he and
| Counsellor Hassett went down to spend an
| hour with Col. Jones at the Aquarium ana
| see the sea serpent eel and other things
| While Col. Jim was showing them around
! explaining the difference between a ham
mer-headed shark and a Lake Kouka saw
| belly. and filling them with piscatorial
pabulum. Mr.. Switzer said:
Colonel, you ought TO have Unc,e Hoppy
in one of your tanks. You have no living
| wonder here, that / have seen, that can
| even hope TO compare with Unc!e Hoppy:'
| "No?" replied the colonel and his man
| ner was cold Counsellor Hassett asked
| the Colonel where he kept the flying fish.
! The colonel said the cage was hanging out
| of the upstairs window. and when Coun-
selor Hassett asked him If flying fish
| roasted on a perch like chickens, or just
Topped down like ducks, Col. Jim said they
| didn't do either; they hung from the roof
| of their cage by their toe-nails. like bats.
MY. N.Y. said Counsellor Bassett
| Lets go and see themp'
They're out on the wing now" said the
colonel, regretfully. I'VE let them out
every day TO forage"
Counsellor Hassott was greatly disap-
pointed and wanted to know where they
kept the mock turtles. The colonel re-
piled that they had never had but one,
and they kept II down cellar under a tuo.
| but one day 1t got out of the cellar Win
dow, tub and all, and before It's escape
was discovered It had wandered out on
| Battery Place, and sailors boarding
house keeper captured II and made it into
! soup right away
How sad o" said Counsellor Hassett, ana
Mr.. switzer said 1t made him hungry to
think of it.
But you wouldn't miss Il a bit. colonel -
said he, III you would send up to Old
Steuben ana get coupe Of Theed Ross
| bleached catfish. Theed thought he had
discovered a new species of catfish when
he caught the first one of 'em he had
seen The fish wos as white as snow
Its horns were OILY just above the skin
and were as blunt as a ten-penny nail
Theed was making quite a fuss over his
| discovery when Jim Benton came along,
explained the apparent freak and made
out the queer fish to be only a common
place affair after all. Jim said the cat
fish around that part OF the lake where
Theed caught this one were IN the habit
of going out of the lake and lying by the
hour in the fields, basking in the sun.
and the sun bleached them out Just like
il would beach a sheet
=" But said Theed, the sun doesn't
wear their horns off clear to the butt
How do you account for that7" said he.
." That easy. said Jim Benton. While
the catfish are out in the fields they put
in some OF their time digging fish worms
with their horns, and that wears EN- off
said Jim.
And so another rare pIscatorlaI speci-
men was lost TO science, colonel" said Mr..
swltzer; but those catfish are queer
enough, anyhow, and should think you'd
send and get few Of en-"
Col, Jim Jones didn't say whether he
would or wouldn't, and they walked on.
BY and by. Col. Jim said:
THAT Uncle Hoppy you mentioned a
while ago, Jack What about hlm?"
"Oh2" said Mr.. Switzer. you want to
hear about Uncle Hoppy do your Al right
He was wonder and no mistake. He was
n frog and made his home In a spring up
back Of he Urbana wine cellars, on Lake
Keuka That frog must have weighed
four pounds. lie was very social aud
used 10 come down to the cellar every 1T
tie while and some OF the boys gave MIN
a taste Of wine one day. Uncle Hoppy-we
called him Uncle Hoppy-took TO 1t as nat
ural as life and, II he didn't see any Of Us
around, got 80 he'd walk uptairs TO the Of
fee, where we always kept something.
There was plenty Of visitors coming 10 the
cellars every day. and we always showed
'em through the vaults and then put EN-
through course of treatment la the office
that laid over anything In the hygienic
line you ever heard Of. Uncle Hoppy al
ways managed 10 be around on these oc-
casions. and would plank himself down In
the corner az big as any of us. We had a
, little wine glass all on purpose for him.
and we'd serve him the same % the rest
| Of the party He'd clutch his fingers round
the glass and when we'd hold IN our
glasses and say: Wei, here she goes,
| Uncle Hoppy would hold his glass 40. too.
and then sip the wine like a conuoisseur.
There used 10 be- quite few rafting sto-
| ries told ~ that Office now and then aud
Uncle Hoppy would listen I'll his eyes bu g.
| ed out and when the laugh came In II WAS
| q sight to see him. He'd slap his hands on
| his knee open his mouth clear back Of his
shoulders and wei. you should have heard
his laugh. Funny why you might roll
into one al the funniest things you ever
saw or heard and they wouldn't touch one
side Of Uncle Hoppe lausn,'
Mr. switzer paused ln his story while he
| laughed himself over the recollection. but
Col. Jim JOnes ana Councillor Bassftt
looked panied. BY and by, Mr. Bwitzer 70
| sumcd.
~ never want 20 give anyone room for
fhe fuspci0n that ] would wander even
on che border ~ untfuth" hc SAID, 'and
consequently always have a reiHc'ancs
1 afgut referflug 10 Tho latter period III