Tim Price's Frog Hunt.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1800, 19 January 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

Tim Price's Frog Hunt.

BY TODE HODGE. Tim Pkice devoted muchjtime to invention for my benefit, because I never doubted his word. I stood in his estimation as " a fellow you could poke anything into and be'il believe it," lie bopsted feo much abont "stuiliin'" me that I found whenever any one had a lie to tell they carao to me to tell it. I thcrefoie concluded that it was time to check him into icspect. He was a good rifle shot, and very proud of it. His pride vibrated between the ownership of a rifle and a watch. A trade was to him worth a day's fasting, and he would go any distance for a dicker. "I toll you, Colonel, I've got it down to pints. i trades my watch for a rifle when the game gits ready for shootin', an' my rifle for a watch when thars nothin', an' the day gits too long fer an honest clay's work if you stop by the bxxn. Thar'b no man livin' l\in beat me shootin', an 1 thai's no livin' man kin jedgo tho innaids in a watch better nor 1 kin. I had a watch onst that the shin 'ud come light off the tateis when it said hall an hour's b'ilin', an' there were no fire under ihe kittle; an' denied if the eggs didn't come boilod in cold water, knowing' they was bound ter be done cooked in three minutes by it. The peoples used to come fer morn five miles ter get the time uv day ter set ther clocks by — them 'at had 'cm — an' them 'at hadn't took the lcngness in ther shaddei-; when I says iU giub-time at noon. But fchootin', Colonel, shootin's whar I gits 'em. Them breaken guns (bicech loaders) uv yourn gits me, but I J hey a rifle in the cabin thar that beats any- I thing for shootin' I ever seed. 'Taiat no I breaken gun. I busted the butt over a bars head t'other day, an' he bit the sight off when I rammed it inter him, but hit's a good un. The squ'rl's has gos tor knowin' it an' me. I allers Fees a bqu'rl's eyes an' nothen else, an' ailers hits him thar. One day awhile back my dorg Spider he gets one in a holler tree, an' I chops him out, an' dern me, ef he hadn't patches on his two eyes—bits uv bark like, stuck on with cheiry-tree gum — jist ter keep me from seem' him. I never hunted none 'copt on wet days arter that, when the gum wouldn't stick. They had no chance afore they lamed that Ctotige, for I kin bhooi." " Come over to my place, Tim, and we will have a frog htmb. They arc plenty on the liver ; I'll paddle you. Bring your rifle, I ■vvant to see you shoot." Tim's eyes danced. u I'll come in the mornin'. I don't eat no such varminta no time, but I'll shoot moie on 'em nor you kin string on a clo'es line, if the hollerin', duck-footed, yaller beasts doesn't stay under water when they knows I'm eomin 1 . I'll be over 'arly in the mornin'." I had supplied myself with half a dozen csst-iron frogs especially for this hunt ; did a little extra painting on them to make them look moie natural, and placed them in wellselected positions on the river banks, under rootd, in grass, on diift-logs, and one with its head just above the water. The next morning Tim arrived, and, after much boasting of what he could do, we got off in the slufi, Tim standing in the bow, and I sitting in the stern paddling. I soon took him to where he could see one of the frogs. " Hold on, Colonel 1 Thars the allfiredest yaller belly I ever seed. See him thar sittin' as big as a crow on a corn hill ; right under that root. [I purposely kept off a distance, and absolutely refused to see him.] Dern it, my ole one-eyed gander could see him without cockin' up his hull eye. Derned ef he hain't propped his head up with them fore-lega uv his'n, jest ter show off and look as wise as ole Dr. Mansy at a pulse-feelin'. Hold her steady till I pop a pill in him that 'ill be harder on him nor 'Ingin roots!'" Bang! went Tima rifle, but the frog sat still. Tim looked at him in astonishment. He gave a quick glance at me to see if I waa looking, and thinking I was not, said: " Well, I'll be derned if thar hain't another un sittin right long side uv him. They goes in pairs this time uv year. I'll git him too." And he carefully reloaded. Bang 1 went the gun again, and I the frog did not move. " Well, that beats natur'. He's so tarnel skeered at seem' me he can't git over it 'nough to go dead." "Hold on, Tim," I said. "I'll hit Mm I with the oar. You san't shoot," "Shoot thunder 1 "' said he. "Hain't he two bullets through him now ? " " Why, no, Tim ; you said this was another frog." "So 'tis, so 'tis. Tother uns blowed clar out uv sight." I manceuvered the boat inshore ■while Tim was loading, struck alongside the frog with the paddle covering him with mud, and put him in the boat under the seat. "Nice shot you are, Tim; can't hit a frog big as that at thirty paces in two shots." Tim said nothing, being much occupied examining his rifle. Pretty soon he Bpied another iron one. "Now, by thunder, I'll show if I can't shoot. There hain't no man nowhere in West Yirginny kin beat me shootin'. Hold on now. Thar he is under that rock. Yer too far— -back a bit— thar 1" I had a -wire running to a small float from this one, which I got hold of from the boat. As Tim fired I jerked the frog into the water. "Missed

again," I said. "Better let me kill them with the oar, Tim." " Go—. Well, I never," said Tim, thinking better of it. " Thet bar must hey chawed the bar'l crooked when he bit off the sight," and Tim sighted along his gun. " No, 'taint. 'Taint the powder, neither, nor the cap, nor the ball, coz I run 'em myself. By gosh 1 Colonel, hit's the patches. I mad© 'em out uv Beth Jones' old boot legs, ao he's ftllus drunk. Hit's the derned patches. They're so uaed to wobblin' they can't stop, an 1 I soaked em> too; I thought the water smelled of whisky. "Pshaw 1 Tim. You're like all the rest here. You're the best man until you're tried. Any boy ought to shoot a frog." "Now, lookee yer, Colonel; I wouldn't 'low a jedge on the bench to say I can't shoo , nohow, without gcttin' fined for contempt, an' I miz once fer only tellin' the jeflge he were an 010 fool. An' 1 told him ef he'd take off the fine I'd say he were no bigger fool nor any other feller that 'ud say what he did, an' ketch him 'nongh live minnors for a week's fishin up our way, co 2 1 couldn't pay the fine, an' he let me off an' came for the minners. I've shot a deer through two hoofs to wonst an' him a runnin' — on a bet— an' say I can't hit a frog 1 Let's sco another un an' I'll svroller the ramrodef I don't git him 1 " The next, one was wired to a log, so that balls would not knock him off,butagOod side stroke would. He soon came into full view, and Tim hailed him with delight. " Gosh! Lookee thar at him scrouchen, bunched up ready for sprawlen. I had a rifle I traded for onst that 'ud gone off itself if it were dared like that.' 1 Bang 1 The frog shook, but held his ground. Tim swore a streak and stamped, flung down his rifle and nearly upset the boat 1 laughed until I ached. "Why. Tim," I said, "you couldn't hit a school-house. You've been stuffing me about your shooting. Give me your rifle, and I'll kill it for you." Tira swore " he'd eat skunk first." Loaded, aimed with great precision, and fired again, with no better result. The wires held well. Tim stood dumbfounded. " I'll move in closer where you can hit him, or blind him with the flash, so that you can catch him. Thirty yards is too long ran^c for you." Tim clubbed his rifle and looked murder at me. " 'Taint no use settin' there grinnin' wus nor a 'possum an' laughiY wus nor a jackass. Maybe someone hez witched my rifle. I seed granny Miles a lookin' at it 'tarnel queer like, an' mutterin' somethin'. The derned ole wiinkly up yarb woman t Don't you go closer fer me or I'll blow him tail fust ten feet inter the mud, the big-mouthed, blinkin'-eyed cvitter." Bangl " H 's fire and red peppers ! May Ibo kivered with boilens [boils] an' a scratching shut, e£ ever 1 seed anything like it. Ef I had a rock I'd knock his snout clean through him." "Yes," I said, "you'd better get you a stone, Tim ; you'll never hit him with a ball." "May I be rheumatized an' tarpentined, coal-iled an' set fire to, cf I don't." As Jim was standing on the bow of the skiff, and I was paddling from the stern, his back was toward the fiog as he loaded. So I paddled fclowly in backwards and knocked the frog into the water, from which I fished it out and put it with the other one. Tim was looking sick. "Put clown your rifle and take the boathook, Tim ; perhaps you can kill 3omc with it. We must have some to make a show, and I'm afraid I'll split my oar killing them." " Dern yer oar ; I'll break it over yer head tf yer teches another one. I've cut the spike out uv a humble bee a hundred yards an' more, an' him p'inted end up on a thistle. Thars somethin' wrong, I tell yer. I must hey swallowed a chaw terbacker ; I feel kinder pukey." Tnruevived when he saw the one with hia head just above water. "Tako a rest, Tim," I uiged, "tako a lest. It's not the beat way to learn to fehoot, but you may get him in time." Tim fairly trembled with rage. " L'ara ter shoot ! Lam! You comes yer from the East mean 'nough tor shoot with a shotgun, an' puts in 'nough powder an' shot in ter the wrong end in yer breaken gun to hit a squ'rl ef you aimed t'other way. L'arn ! I'll bet my rifle 'gin a quarter I'll cut that frog's throat." " Done," I said ; " here's my quarter on the scat, and I'll allow you to take a rest." " lle<st ! " &aid Tim, in great indignation. " Does yer take me for a wobbler ? " Ho fired. The frog raised and instantly settled back to his position. Tim turned pale and his nerve was all gone. " Colonel," he said, " yer's the rifle. The a-ger's comin' back on roe like I bed it ten year ago ; I've got ter go hum an' shake. I knowed Lher whar somethin' wrong. Yer's yer rifle I hate powerful ter gin up there ole gun ; I've traded back'ard an' forrid fer it an' gin an' tuk boot fer nigh on ter twenty year, an' I never p'inted her crooked afore. I were kinder lively sayin' things ter yer as I oughtent, but yer liled me 'bout larnin' ter shoot. She kicks like thunder. I reckon yer'll lend her ter me at the full uv the moon, when yer not r.scn her, to go mus' ratten, er I'll work her out, or gin yer 'taters fer her." " What is sbc worth, Tim ? " His distress was almost too much for me, but I wanted to see tke native como oul in him. "Not much. Her stock's busted, an' her s'ght gone, an' she"s weak in the hammer, an* kicks powerful, an' every time I uses her I hez ter wedge the nipple in, an' she's nearly blowcd the head off uv me goin' oft' onexpeeted, like, while loadin' of her. I reckon I'll gin yer a bushel or a bushel an' a peck uv 'taters fer her." By this time we were at home again. I 3aid : " Tim, I'll keep her. You can't shoot, anyhow, and she'll only hurt you. Bring the frogs I killed and I'll carry the gun. A nice show you have for your morning's shooting." Tim picked up a frog and dropped it as if it weie hot. He was frightened. " Colonel, thars somethin' wrong. Everything's agin' rce— the devil's in it. It's heavy as lead, an' you've knocked it stiff as a maulin'-wedge. I'm gittin' flighty — jest like the a-ger took me aforo, an' there's misery comin in my legs. I've got the a ger I " I gathered up the frogs and took them and Tim to the house, where he began to revive on a glass of whisky. " Tim," I said, " here is your rifle ; I don't want it ; I'll have fun enough telling about your missing the frogs and my having to kill them with the paddle." 41 Don't, don't," said Tim. » They'd never Sstop runnin' me an' boastifiin' over me. I'd rather gin yer my old line — " " And then, Tim," I added, " when I tell , them them that you don't know a frog when you sec one— but keep shooting all the morning at chunks of cast-iron — 'what will they think of you ? What glorious fun it will be. Here, look at this," and I handed him one of the iron frogs. " Slice me up and kiver me with salt i£ hit haint iron. Hid did you iver get hit turned inter iron so quick ? " said Tim with a most i piteous mixture of shame and astonishment iin his face. "I'm ready for the buryin' ! sarmen uv a derned fool. I'll give yer the rifle und taters, too, ef yer'll keep your lnouth shut. I'll bring yer a hull pail full of live mm • i ners fur perch bait, an' a — an' a purp uv Spider's, if yer'll say nothin' to nobody nary ! time." As soon, as I could stay laughing I said : " Tim, do you think I'm a fellow you can stuff anything into and he'll believe it ? " " Derned if I do, I never done it. I never said so nohow no time anyway. Don't kick me, Colonel. I'm chawin' the ground. You've got me thia time." He turned as he was going away with his rifle, and said : " That's gospel truth I telled yer 'bout the squ'rls, though, an' ef I hadn't a freah chaw in I'd git mad an' say somethin'." — Detroit Free Press.

Ajibition, stimulated by hope and a halFfillcd purse, has a power that will triumph over all difficulties.

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