Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-12-25
fDl'0WNFALLOE'.
THE | | PET FROG
A VeraciouIs,
Nature Story
By
= Edwin J. Webster
Copyright, by VIC. Chapman.)

trio frog as a scientific WONDER" said
the old guide in pensive tones to the
party gathered about the camp fire,
that frog to-day might still be the
admiration and delight of all his &C
quaintances- BY trying to win money
and bulldogs from Tom Wilson, Eben
came to grief, and the frog to an I'M
timely and regretted end. And it was
the expression ON the face of Uncle
Sammy Evans which suggested to
Tom the scheme that led to the death
Of the frog. =.
"Eben always was quite a hand for
scientific experiments. One day,
while he was fooling with an electric
battery, he received a shock, The
good man made a jump which showed
that even if he was old he was agile.
His interests In science died out for
that day. He took his fishing rod and
wandered out into the woods. Just as
he was about to seat himself in placid
comfort on the bank of the pond, he
happened to scare a big frog that had
been sitting near. The frog jumped
clear out into the pond, making a leap
that was long one, even for an active
and alarmed frog. The long jump of
the frog, combined with his own per-
Torrance in the same line when he re-
caived the electric shock, suggested
an idea to Eben.
eff frog without any external
stimulus can make a jump like that
he said thoughtfully, what could he
do If he came in contact with an cleo
trio battery? Blamed if I don't think
he could establish a twentieth century
record in the frog-leaping line
so Eben caught few active young
frogs and began his experiments. He
soon found that under the influence of
an electric shock frog could de un-
looked-for things in both long and
high-distance jumping.
One of the frogs was a good deal bet
ter jumper than the rest Eben let the
| other frogs go, and set his ingenuity
to work to try and contrive some plan
whereby he could get the frog to give
jumping exhibition without the ex.
penditure of so much effort on the
part of Eben Brown.
"There's no denying Eben had tai
ents as an electrical and mechanical
expert. First he fixed up tiny cleo
trio battery. Then he made a cover
ling for the frogs back--a sort of min
iature frog blanket. He could fix the
battery under the blanket, and, except
that the poor animal looked like q
frog with an overcoat, person
wouldn't have noticed anything pc
culiar in the appearance of that frog
Eben made a little hut for the frog
putting pieces Of rubber under it, s;
as to insulate it. While the frog wa.
In the house he wouldn't get any shocl
from the battery, but as soon as he
was placed on the ground it made {
connection, and the abused creature
would receive painful and unpleas
ant surprise.
'Eben fixed the battery so that il
would have power enough to give the
frog three shocks before it was ex
hausted. Then he placed the frog OF
the ground. OF course, the instant til
frog felt the electric current h
jumped up in the air. AS soon as h
touched the ground again it reestab
lished the connection, and up went tn
frog. The third jump was the bigges
of ALL Then the battery was exhaust
ed and the frog squatted: on tn
ground, evidently in doubt whether t
be irritated at the shocks or lost il
admiration of his own jumping abil
ties.
"Eben bought pair of rubbe
gloves, and after charging the batter
he used to carry the frog from plac
to place, giving exhibitions of his pet
talents.
Zone day Eben, wearing his rubbe
gloves and carrying the frog in hi
hands, wandered down to Tom Wi
sons tavern. Tom had been away
and hadn't heard of the frog or it
record-breaking jumps.
Eben allowed that the frog coul
outjump anything in the state. TOT
seemed sort of sceptical about thi
statement.
edo you care to back up you
opinion with good coin of the realm
Tom asked?
TN no sure thing bettor,' sal
Chen in his dignified manner but II
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