The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-10-05
$500 81


boys called her the fifteen minute mag.
but that was only In fun. you know.
because, of course. she was faster
than, that-and he used to win money
on that horse, for all she was so slow
and always had the asthma or tile dis
temper or the consumption or some
thing OF that kind They used to give
her two or three hundred yards start
and then, pass her under, way, but al
ways at the flag end OF the race she'd
get: excited and ldesperate-like and
come cavorting and straddllng up and
scattering her legs around Timber.
sometimes in the air and sometimes
out to one side amongst the fences and
kicking up more dust and raising
more racket with her coughing and
sneezing and blowing her nose, and a..
ways fetch up at tho stand just about
neck ahend. as near as you could
cipher it down.
"And lie had little small bull pup
that to look at him you'd think he
warn't worth cent but to set around.
look orncry and lay for a chance to
steal something. But us soon as mon
ey was up on him he was n different
dog. His underjaw'd begin to stick
out like the fo'castle Of steamboat
and his teeth would uncover and shine
like the furnaces. And dog might
tackle him and bullyraG him and bite
him and throw him over his shoulder
two or three times, aud Andrew Jack
son-which was the name Of the, pup
Andrew jackson would never, let on
but what he was satisfied and hadn't
expected nothing else, and the bets be-
ing doubled and doubled on tile other
side all the time till the money was all
up. and then all Of sudden the would
grab the other dog jest by the .j'int
of his hind leg and freeze to it. not
chaw, you understand, but only Just
grip and hang, on till they throwed up
the sponge, II It was n year. ~
Smiley always come out winner on
that pup till. he harnessed a dog once
that didn't have, no hind legs. because
they'd been sawed OF In. a circular
saw, and when the thing had gone far
enough. and the money was all up. and
he come 10 make a snatch for his pet
holt. he seen in minute how he'd
been imposed on and how the other
dog had him in the door, SO to speak,
and he 'peared surprised. and then he
looked sortcr discouHged.like and
didn't try 10 more TO win the fight
and so he got shuclSed out bad. He
give Smiley look as much as to
say his heart was broke, and it was
his fault, for putting up.a dog that
hadn't no hind legs for him to take
holt Of. which was his main depend
cnce In a fight. and then he limped
of piece and laid down and died. 1t
was good pup. was that Andrew
Jackson, and would have made name
for himself II he'd lived, for the stuG
was In him and lie had genius know
1t, because he had no opportunities to
speak OF. and it don't stand TO reason
that dog could make such fight
as he could under them, circumstances
IL lie hadn't no talent. 1t always
makes me feel sorry when think of
that last fight of his'n and the way It
turned out.
"wclI. this yer Smiley had rat tar
riers and chicken cocks and tomcats
and all them kind of things I'LL you
couldn't rest, and you couldn't fetch
nothing for, him to bet on but he'd
match you. He ketched frog one
day and took him home and said he
cnl'lated to educate him. and so he
never done nothing for three months
but set in his back yard and learn
that frog to jump. And you bet he did
learn him, too. He'd give. him q little
punch behind. and the next minute
you'd see that frog whirling In the air
like a doughnut-see him turn one sum
merset or maybe II couple. IL he got a
good start, and come, down flatfooted
and all right, like u cnt,l he got him
up so. in the matter OF. ketchlng flies
aud KEEP him in practice so constant
that, he'd nail a fly every timekas fur
as he could see him. 81
SMILEY said I'LL frog waited was
education and he could do most. any
thing. aud believe him. why. I've
seen him set Dnn'l Webster down here
on this floor-Dan'I, Webster was tho
name of the frog-and sing out, Flies.
Danl, fliesE And quicker'n you could
wink he'd spring straight up and snake
fly off'n the counter there and flop
down on the door agjin as solid as q
COB Of. mud and fall to scratching, the
side Of his head With his hind foot. as
Indifferent as IL he hadn't no idea he'd
been doing any. .more'n any frog might
do. j, You never see frog SO modest
and Straightforward as he was. for all
he was so gifted. And when It como:
to fair and square jumping on q dead