| Well, my pa, Jim Smiley and I were a great team at one time. That is until that darned feller came to camp. Now my pa was always makin� bets with someone. He�d bet on dogfights, insect races, chickenfights, just about anything he could find to bet on or anyone to bet for that matter. His bets weren�t always totally honest and fair but he weren�t hurtin� anyone. Well, anyways�that darned feller came to camp one day and my pa knew this was his chance to show me off! That feller inquired as to why pa was carryin� around a box. He replied by tellin� the feller that he had a frog in the box. Now this feller wanted to know what a frog would be good for. He said, �he�s good enough for one thing, I should judge � he can outjump any frog in Calaveras County,� and boy was that true. This feller was intrigued by the concept of frog racin� and took my pa up on a forty-dollar bet. Pa went off to catch the feller a frog and left me behind with him. I saw this feller lookin� at me kinda strange-like and I started to worry. All of a sudden his hand reached into my box and he grabbed me. He pried my mouth open and filled me to the chin with quail shot. A few minutes later pa returned with a frog for the feller. They lined us frogs up on a line and started the race. I tried and tried to jump but I couldn�t, the quail shot made me to heavy. That feller and his frog ended up winnin�. They took the money and ran, pa never did catch that feller, but after that day he sure didn�t bet as much. |
