The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-10-17
PAPA'S TRUE STORY.

~ papa, papa, zen Us d
cried little Mary and Emma, running
up to their father, who had seated
himself upon the porch and was
about % read the evening paper.
TELL US a true story" said En-
ma, the little four-year-old as she
climbed up on her papa's knee.
Papa could not resist this appeal,
so he laid down his paper and began
as follows:
Once upon time there lived a
toad WHO had but three legs, having
lost one of his hind legs
WAS it shot off in the war;" ask
ed Emma.
Il do not know how be lost it,"
said papa. He may have lost it in
battle with a snake. All I know
is that he had but one hind leg, and
reminded one very much of a crippled
soldier This old toad being thus
crippled, was put to many shifts in
order 10 get his daily bread"
"Toad5 don't eat bread, do they?"
asked Mary.
q mean flies, bugs, and such
things" said papa, which take the
place OF bread with toads. He had
20 use his wits so much that he soon
came 20 be very wise. He used to
hide under leaf or a bunch of grass,
and by bouncing upon unwary flies he
was able to get quite a good living.
One day he hobbled. into a garden
anu squatted under a cabbage leaf,
hoping TO catch nice large bug for
his dinner. But he was very tired,
and before long he was fast asleep.
When he awoke, it was quite dark
% dear!' said he 4 have oversight
myself. How hungry l am! l won
der If I can find bug in the dark
So saying, he began to hop along
when down he went into a pool of
water He sank to the bottom; but
by kicking Justify he soon got his,
head above the water. Then he swan
around, trying to find something to-
rest upon. At last he came upon a.
little hummock of earth in the mid
die of the pool, and there he sat
waiting for morning. When morn
| ing came. the toad found that he was
in great square pit half full of wa
| ter. It was pit that had been dug
by the gardener in making an aspara-
gus bed. The poor toad had to sit
/ there all of that day and the follow
ing night without bite to eat. Early
| the next day he was delighted to see
| two little girls come into the garden.
| Now I shall be helped out thought
| he. Those dear little girls will be
my friends They were both dress
ed In white jackets with brown sash
es. and had On their heads chip hats
trimmed with brown"
80 papa" said Emma, that is just
the way Mary and / dressi'
Papa went on without making any
reply. when the little girls came
to the pit, the older one cried out
Look at that old toad sitting in the
water!' Let us throw dirt at him,
said the smaller. So both little girls
threw dirt and sticks at the toad
which raised such waves around him
that he was in danger of being wash
ed off. % dear!' said that toad. Who
would have thought that those little
girls would be SO cruel?" Just then
big piece of dirt struck the DOOR
toad upon the head and laid him
sprawling on his back in the water
When the toad had recovered from
the blow and had crawled back to his
resting-place, he noticed a man with
hoe on his shoulder approaching
the pit. o dear!' said the toad
Here comes great rough man. Now
[ shall certainly be killed. But the
, man put his hoe under the toad. lift.
cd him carefully out of the pit, and
plaid him upon the dry grass. Well
| | never! said the toad. Who would