New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-28
Putting MIR. Finnegan to Sleep

.,THE STORY OF THE KNIGHT AND THE
LITTLE GREEN FROGS.
"Fiddlesticks," said Mr. Finnegan 10 him
self. but he fixed his eyes on Mrs Peter
sons double chin. as the doctor had d.
rected. and prepared to take his medicine.
"Once upon a time" she began. there
lived a Knight who wasn't very big or
wasn't very brave. hut who was very PROUD
Of being q Knight: and when he had chance
he would put on his blue suit with the
gilt buttons all down the front. his black
hat with the long red plumes spread over
its top and hanging down behind. and grid
on his pretty nickel plated sword tina" -.
For heavens sake, woman" broke IN
Mr. Finnegan. what kind Of a Knight was
that
"He was a Knight Of Pythas. or some
thing" she answered. But ! must ask
YOU not to interrupt When he was at
home. which wasn't often. for he was not
a married man. he lived in castle on the
hank Of the beautiful Patoka River. when
is somewhere in Indiana II wasn't really
castle. hut being a Knight and very
proud OF IT, as 7 have said. lie thought no
ought 10 live ND 10 the part and 50 he
called il Castle Thunder The common
people of the town Of Jonesburg. hard by,
said il was a lot % name for a two-hy-tour
bungalow hut when the Knight heard Y ha:
they said he closed one eye and laughed.
for he was q politician as VOL as Knight.
and he was both for some reason-it helped
him To hold his job as County Clerk u
wasn't a very big Job as Jobs 60, hut II
gave him higher rank and more money
than he could have got without IT. and by
working the political game and the hnish'
hood pun. together with sundry other Wei
known devices. he managed 10 hang on 10
the job term after term until he began I"
feel that it belonged to him.
"Rut I'm the course of time a new and
very curious idea worked its way into that
remote corner of Indiana. one Of the out
groupings of the idea was an opposition
candidate for County clerk and the can
didate was of all things. woman N''
only that. she was young and beautiful
and she had been to the State University
and she was hustler right from the
lump. as they say i'm Indiana. She went
right out after the votes and when she
cornered "A man he might look up or down
or sideways for little while. but in the
end he'd have TO look her square in the
eye and say. I'm for you
Now the Knight. being n knight and
not at all grumpy. even If he was bach
elor, was considerably illustrated by tins
astonishing interference in his preserves.
If it had been a man he would have known
exactly how to proceed. But woman !
And pretty, There was no precedent i'm
politics for such a situation. He couldn't
paw up the earth and tear the air I'm the
usual way II wouldn't do. II just would
not do.
And this Is where the little green frog
comes into the story This little green frog
lived In big oak tree on the edge OF the
town, and every summer evening the birds
and the bees and the squirrels and other
wild folk who understood his language
we're wont 10 come to him for advice and
information. For the little green frog
knew vast lot about many things. lie
knew what the weather was going 10 he
ciest worms and the sweetest flowers. but
he also knew, oh, so very, very much ABOUT
human nature. and he was especially wise
IN the three most important things In hu-
man life-love the cost of living and poll
tics.
Now the knight knew the little fros
language chow he came To learn II Is
another story and whenever he was In
doubt about anything he would go out to
The biz oak tree. along about dusk, ana