Year: 1876

struck Ii?


Pete quietly laid down bis cresicinG
spoon, slyly gathered two or three bis
rocks, then sofly 90 upioc began steal
ing toward bis little prosecutor, and nst
IS Tie frog cried Struck III Pete lei
drive at him with a rock 50 huge that 4
conld have been hurled by no lesser AjaI
missing his mark, bat raising great
oommoiiou IN the pond.


Thinking be bad given his bad angel !
fright that would last him fortnight,
Pete returned to his work, lie hsd al.
most filled his pan with very rich look.
ing dirt, when up came the frogs head,
and out came Biz tautalizing Struck III
struck it2


Pete threw the pan Of dirt as far as he
could send Il and made for the frog de-
iermined on its destruction. lie would
stand no more Of its internal nonsense.
Shovel in hand he waded into the mid
die Of the little reservoir, aud scooped
aud tore about Il with the vigorous 70.
nom of a mad bull. Once or twice he
saw, or imagined he saw. the frog dart
through the discoloFcd water, aud brot
down the back Of his shovel upon the
spot with such spat that the blow
might have been heard half mile away.
At length, not seeing anything more OF
the frog, Pete concluded that he had kill
ed him. He gave him parting curse,
and, being now wrought up to such a
pitch of excitement and nervousness that
he could work no more that afternoon,
put on his coat and went home.


The next morning he returned TO his
claim and his work. lie had washed
out several pans of dirt, and was getting
good pay out of them, when suddenly
there fell upon his ear the shrill cry Of
Struck itS a#8e


The first note sent a thriIl through
Pete's frame, like the sharp shock Of an
electric battery; then chill fell upon bis
heart, and bis hair almost rose on end
His evil genius, as he now firmly belev-
ed the little green frog to be, was still
there, alive and at his old tricks.


He kicked over the pan of dirt he had
dug, and made rush for the reservoir,
the frog Pumping under the water at bis
approach. Pete again went into the
reservoir with his long.handled shovel,
and charged about at furious rate; but
be could see nothing of the frog or any
thing that looked like it. Being deter
mined to do for his tormentor this time,
Pete went for his pan and began trying
to bail out the reservoir. Finding this
too great a task, he got pick, dug down
the embankment of dirt and rocks form
ing the little dam, and eagerly watched,
with uplfted shovel, for the frog, as the
water ran off. The water nearly all ran
out, but the little frog was nowhere to be
seen.


Pete then waded out in the ooZy bed of
the pond, digging and plunging about
with his shovel, but he failed to start the
goblin frog. lie then arrived at the very
reasonable conclusion that the little imp
had gone down the stream with the body
of water that rushed out of the reservoir
when il was opened. He cruised about
the spot tor an hour or more, going
down the channel of the ravine, turning
over rocks aud beating tufts of grass
with his shovel, but he saw nothing of
the frog. Thinking his evil genius had
been washed down through the canyon
into the Carson River, Pete concluded TO
rebuild his dam in order that he might
have water ready for use in the morning.
This job done, he went home, feeling
quite sure that he had either killed or
permanently ousted his little enemy.


The next day be returned to his work.
Before starting in, however, he walked
around the reservoir several times peer
ing keenIy into the water and kicking
every bunch of grass about its margin. -
The frog was nowhere to be seen or
started. .... .


Pete then went to his prospect hole
and began TO dig, stopping occasionally
TO cock an eye toward the pond and to
listen for the frog. All promised well
for Pete. lie had dug pan OF dirt with
out the hatred interruption, and was on
his way to wash il out, when-Struck it2
was squeaked from the pond by the COB
lin frog.


This was too much for Pete, The pan
was dropped from his hands, his under
jaw fell, and be sunk down upon the
nearest rock, where he sat and consider
ed the matter AS he was wondering II
itiwas possible for him ever in anyway
TO rid himself of the evil thing that de-
stroyed his lnck, the frog again sung out,
cheerily a. eyer-Struck it? struck itI
struck III


Ye think sol said Pete, and catching
up bis pick, be rushed to the reservoir
and began digging down the cmbank-
ment. Presently he paused Ia bis work,
and said:


It's no use. Haven't tried to get him
in ali wsyst No; when get ,he water
of he'll be gone. Hes no human frog
/ III list let him hovld possession, and III
hunt me another place.


Pete began to gather up his clothes and
tools with the intention Of yacating the
place, when he stopped and gszed wist
\ fully at bis prospecting hole. A promis.
ing place il was, too, in the main said
be. Now, shall be tormented away b.
a dirty little bsste like you? No; ~