The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-17

boys called her the fifteen minute nag.
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 the 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 desperate-like and
come cavorting and straddling 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 al
ways fetch up at the stand just about
a neck ahead. as near as you could
cipher it down.
And he had little small bull pup
that to look at him you'd think he
warn't worth a cent but to set around.
look ornery and lay for chance to
steal something. But as soon as mon
ey was up on him he was different
dog. His underjaw'd begin to stick
out like the fo'castle of a 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, and 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 the other
side all the time till the money was all
up. and then all of Il sudden he 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. If 1t was a year.
Smiley always come out winner on
that pup till he harnessed d dog once
that didn't have no hind legs. because
they'd been sawed off in a. circular
saw, and when the thing had gone far
enough. and the money was all up. and
he come to make a snatch for his pet
holt. he seen in a 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 sorter discouraged-like and
didn't try no more to win the fight.
and SO he got shucked out bad. He
give Smiley a look as much as to
say his heart was broke, and it was
his fault. for putting up dog that
hadn't no hind legs for him to take
holt Of. which was his main depend
ence in fight. and then he limped
off piece and laid down and died 1t
was a good pup. was that Andrew
Jackson, and would have made name
for himself if he'd lived. for the stuff
was in him and he had genius. | know
it. because he had no opportunities to
speak of. and it don't stand to reason
that a dog could make such a fight
as he could under them circumstances
if he hadn't no talent. 1t always
makes me feel sorry when | think of
that last fight of hiS'n and the way 1t
turned out.
well, this yer Smiley had rat tar
riers and chicken cocks and tomcats
and all them kind of things till 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 aud said he
cal'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 little
punch behind. and the next minute
you'd see that frog whirling in the air
like dOughnut-See him turn one sum
merset or maybe Il couple. if he got a
good start. and come down fiatfooted
and all right. like a eat He got him
up so in the matter Of ketching flies
and KEEP him in practice so constant
that he'd nail Il fly every time as fur
as he could see him.
Smiley said all frog wanted was
education and he could do most any
thing. and | believe him. Why. I've
seen him set Danl Webster down here
on this floor-Dan1 Webster was the
name of the frng-and sing out. Files.
Danl. flies. And quicker'n you could
wink he'd spring straight up and snake
fly nff'n the counter there and flop
down on the floor aG'in as solid as a
COB of mud and fall to scratching the
side of his head with his hind foot. as
Indifferent as If he hadn't no idea he'd
been doing any more'n any frog might
do You never see frog so modest
and straightforward as be was. for all
he was gifted And when il come
to fair and square jumping ON a dead