sketches new and old-第6部分

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the　cure　Walker；　which　he　judged　to　be　the　best　predicator　of　the
neighborhood　（predicateur　des　environs）　and　which　he　was　in　effect；　and　a
brave　man。　　He　would　encounter　a　bug　of　wood　in　the　road；　whom　he　will
bet　upon　the　time　which　he　shall　take　to　go　where　she　would　goand　if
you　him　have　take　at　the　word；　he　will　follow　the　bug　as　far　as　Mexique；
without　himself　caring　to　go　so　far；　neither　of　the　time　which　he　there
lost。　　One　time　the　woman　of　the　cure　Walker　is　very　sick　during　long
time；　it　seemed　that　one　not　her　saved　not；　but　one　morning　the　cure
arrives；　and　Smiley　him　demanded　how　she　goes；　and　he　said　that　she　is
well　better；　grace　to　the　infinite　misery　（lui　demande　comment　elle　va；
et　il　dit　qu'elle　est　bien　mieux；　grace　a　l'infinie　misericorde）　so　much
better　that　with　the　benediction　of　the　Providence　she　herself　of　it
would　pull　out　（elle　s'en　tirerait）；　and　behold　that　without　there
thinking　Smiley　responds：　〃Well；　I　gage　two…and…half　that　she　will　die
all　of　same。〃

This　Smiley　had　an　animal　which　the　boys　called　the　nag　of　the　quarter　of
hour；　but　solely　for　pleasantry；　you　comprehend；　because；　well
understand；　she　was　more　fast　as　that！　＇Now　why　that　exclamation？M。　T。＇
And　it　was　custom　of　to　gain　of　the　silver　with　this　beast；
notwithstanding　she　was　poussive；　cornarde；　always　taken　of　asthma；　of
colics　or　of　consumption；　or　something　of　approaching。　　One　him　would
give　two　or　three　hundred　yards　at　the　departure；　then　one　him　passed
without　pain；　but　never　at　the　last　she　not　fail　of　herself　echauffer；
of　herself　exasperate；　and　she　arrives　herself　ecartant；　se　defendant；
her　legs　greles　in　the　air　before　the　obstacles；　sometimes　them　elevating
and　making　with　this　more　of　dust　than　any　horse；　more　of　noise　above
with　his　eternumens　and　reniflemenscrac！　she　arrives　then　always　first
by　one　head；　as　just　as　one　can　it　measure。　　And　he　had　a　small　bulldog
（bouledogue！）　who；　to　him　see；　no　value；　not　a　cent；　one　would　believe
that　to　bet　against　him　it　was　to　steal；　so　much　he　was　ordinary；　but　as
soon　as　the　game　made；　she　becomes　another　dog。　　Her　jaw　inferior
commence　to　project　like　a　deck　of　before；　his　teeth　themselves　discover
brilliant　like　some　furnaces；　and　a　dog　could　him　tackle　（le　taquiner）；
him　excite；　him　murder　（le　mordre）；　him　throw　two　or　three　times　over　his
shoulder；　Andre　Jacksonthis　was　the　name　of　the　dogAndre　Jackson
takes　that　tranquilly；　as　if　he　not　himself　was　never　expecting　other
thing；　and　when　the　bets　were　doubled　and　redoubled　against　him；　he　you
seize　the　other　dog　just　at　the　articulation　of　the　leg　of　behind；　and　he
not　it　leave　more；　not　that　he　it　masticate；　you　conceive；　but　he　himself
there　shall　be　holding　during　until　that　one　throws　the　sponge　in　the
air；　must　he　wait　a　year。　　Smiley　gained　always　with　this　beast…la；
unhappily　they　have　finished　by　elevating　a　dog　who　no　had　not　of　feet　of
behind；　because　one　them　had　sawed；　and　when　things　were　at　the　point
that　he　would；　and　that　he　came　to　himself　throw　upon　his　morsel
favorite；　the　poor　dog　comprehended　in　an　instant　that　he　himself　was
deceived　in　him；　and　that　the　other　dog　him　had。　　You　no　have　never　seen
person　having　the　air　more　penaud　and　more　discouraged；　he　not　made　no
effort　to　gain　the　combat；　and　was　rudely　shucked。

Eh　bien！　this　Smiley　nourished　some　terriers　a　rats；　and　some　cocks　of
combat；　and　some　pats；　and　all　sorts　of　things；　and　with　his　rage　of
betting　one　no　had　more　of　repose。　　He　trapped　one　day　a　frog　and　him
imported　with　him　（et　1'emporta　chez　lui）　saying　that　he　pretended　to
make　his　education。　　You　me　believe　if　you　will；　but　during　three　months
he　not　has　nothing　done　but　to　him　apprehend　to　jump　（apprendre　a　sauter）
in　a　court　retired　of　her　mansion　（de　sa　maison）。　　And　I　you　respond　that
he　have　succeeded。　　He　him　gives　a　small　blow　by　behind；　and　the　instant
after　you　shall　see　the　frog　turn　in　the　air　like　a　grease…biscuit；　make
one　summersault；　sometimes　two；　when　she　was　well　started；　and　refall
upon　his　feet　like　a　cat。　　He　him　had　accomplished　in　the　art　of　to
gobble　the　flies　（gober　des　mouches）；　and　him　there　exercised　continually
so　well　that　a　fly　at　the　most　far　that　she　appeared　was　a　fly　lost。
Smiley　had　custom　to　say　that　all　which　lacked　to　a　frog　it　was　the
education；　but　with　the　education　she　could　do　nearly　alland　I　him
believe。　　Tenez；　I　him　have　seen　pose　Daniel　Webster　there　upon　this
plankDaniel　Webster　was　the　name　of　the　frogand　to　him　sing；　〃Some
flies；　Daniel；　some　fifes！〃in　a　flash　of　the　eye　Daniel　30
had　bounded　and　seized　a　fly　here　upon　the　counter；　then　jumped　anew　at
the　earth；　where　he　rested　truly　to　himself　scratch　the　head　with　his
behind　foot；　as　if　he　no　had　not　the　least　idea　of　his　superiority。
Never　you　not　have　seen　frog　as　modest；　as　natural；　sweet　as　she　was。
And　when　he　himself　agitated　to　jump　purely　and　simply　upon　plain　earth；
she　does　more　ground　in　one　jump　than　any　beast　of　his　species　than　you
can　know。　　To　jump　plain…this　was　his　strong。　　When　he　himself　agitated
for　that；　Smiley　multiplied　the　bets　upon　her　as　long　as　there　to　him
remained　a　red。　　It　must　to　know；　Smiley　was　monstrously　proud　of　his
frog；　and　he　of　it　was　right；　for　some　men　who　were　traveled；　who　had　all
seen；　said　that　they　to　him　would　be　injurious　to　him　compare；　to　another
frog。　　Smiley　guarded　Daniel　in　a　little　box　latticed　which　he　carried
bytimes　to　the　village　for　some　bet。

One　day　an　individual　stranger　at　the　camp　him　arrested　with　his　box　and
him　said：

〃What　is　this　that　you　have　them　shut　up　there　within？〃

Smiley　said；　with　an　air　indifferent：

〃That　could　be　a　paroquet；　or　a　syringe　（ou　un　serin）；　but　this　no　is
nothing　of　such；　it　not　is　but　a　frog。〃

The　individual　it　took；　it　regarded　with　care；　it　turned　from　one　side
and　from　the　other；　then　he　said：

〃Tiens！　in　effect！At　what　is　she　good？〃

〃My　God！〃　respond　Smiley；　always　with　an　air　disengaged；　〃she　is　good　for
one　thing；　to　my　notice　（A　mon　avis）；she　can　better　in　jumping　（elle　pent
battre　en　sautant）　all　frogs　of　the　county　of　Calaveras。〃

The　individual　retook　the　box；　it　examined　of　new　longly；　and　it　rendered
to　Smiley　in　saying　with　an　air　deliberate：

〃Eh　bien！　I　no　saw　not　that　that　frog　had　nothing　of　better　than　each
frog。〃　　（Je　ne　vois　pas　que　cette　grenouille　ait　rien　de　mieux　qu'aucune
grenouille。）　＇If　that　isn't　grammar　gone　to　seed；　then　I　count　myself　no
judge。M。　　T。＇

〃Possible　that　you　not　it　saw　not；〃　said　Smiley；　〃possible　that　youyou
comprehend　frogs；　possible　that　you　not　you　there　comprehend　nothing；
possible　that　you　had　of　the　experience；　and　possible　that　you　not　be　but
an　amateur。　　Of　all　manner　（De　toute　maniere）　I　bet　forty　dollars　that
she　better　in　jumping　no　matter　which　frog　of　the　county　of　Calaveras。〃

The　individual　reflected　a　second；　and　said　like　sad：

〃I　not　am　but　a　stranger　here；　I　no　have　not　a　frog；　but　if　I　of　it　had
one；　I　would　embrace　the　bet。〃

〃Strong　well！〃　respond　Smiley；　〃nothing　of　more　facility。　　If　you　will
hold　my　box　a　minute；　I　go　you　to　search　a　frog　（j'irai　vous　chercher）。〃

Behold；　then；　the　individual；　who　guards　the　box；　who　puts　his　forty
dollars　upon　those　of　Smiley；　and　who　attends　（et　qui　attend）。　　He
attended　enough　long　times；　reflecting　all　solely。　　And　figure　you　that
he　takes　Daniel；　him　opens　the　mouth　by　force　and　with　a　teaspoon　him
fills　with　shot　of　the　hunt；　even　him　fills　just　to　the　chin；　then　he　him
puts　by　the　earth。　　Smiley　during　these　times　was　at　slopping　in　a　swamp。
Finally　he　trapped　（attrape）　a　frog；　him　carried　to　that　individual；　and
said：

〃Now　if　you　be　ready；　put　him　all　against　Daniel　with　their　before　feet
upon　the　same　line；　and　I　give　the　signal〃then　he　added：　〃One；　two；
threeadvance！〃

Him　and　the　individual　touched　their　frogs　by　behind；　and　the　frog　new
put　to　jump　smartly；　but　Daniel　himself　lifted　ponderously；　exalted　the
shoulders　thus；　like　a　Frenchmanto　what　good？　　he　not　could　budge；　he
is　planted　solid　like　a　church　he　not　advance　no　more　than　if　one　him　had
put　at　the　anchor。

Smiley　was　surprised　and　disgusted；　but　he　no　himself　doubted　not　of　the
turn　being　intended　（mais　il　ne　se　doutait　pas　du　tour；　bien　entendu）。
The　individual　empocketed　the　silver；　himself　with　it　went；　and　of　it
himself　in　going　is　it　that　he　no　gives　not　a　jerk　of　thumb　over　the
shoulderlike　thatat　the　poor　Daniel；　in　saying　with　his　air
deliberate（L'individu　empoche　l'argent；　s'en　va　et　en　s'en　allant　est…
ce　qu'il　ne　donne　pas　un　coup　d　pouce　par…dessus　l'epaule；　comme　ga；　au
pauvre　Daniel；　en　disant　de　son　air　delibere）：

〃Eh　bien！　I　no　see　not　that　that　frog　has　nothin　of　better　than　another。〃

Smiley　himself　scratched　longtimes　the　head；　the　eyes　fixed　upon　Daniel；
until　that　which　at　last　he　said：

〃I　me　demand　how　the　devil　it　makes　itself　that　this　beast　has　refused。
Is　it　that　she　had　something？　　One　would　believe　that　she　is　stuffed。〃

He　grasped　Daniel　by　the　skin　of　the　neck；　him　lifted　and　said：

〃The　wolf　me　bite　if　he　no　weigh　not　five　pounds：〃

He　him　reversed　and　the　unhappy　belched　two　handfuls　of　shot　（et　le
malheureux；　etc。）。　　When　Smiley　recognized　how　it　was；　he　was　like　mad。
He　deposited　his　frog　by　the　earth　and　ran　after　that　individual；　but　he
not　him　caught　never。


Such　is　the　jumping　Frog；　to　the　distorted　French　eye。　　I　claim　that　I
never　put　together　such　an　odious　mixture　of　bad　grammar　and　delirium
tremens　in　my　life。　　And　what　has　a　poor　foreigner　like　me　done；　to　be
abused　and　misrepresented　like　this？　　When　I　say；　〃Well；　I　don't　see　no
pints　about　that　frog　that's　any　better'n　any　other　frog；〃　is　it　kind；
is　it　just；　for　this　Frenchman　to　try　to　make　it　appear　that　I　said；　〃Eh
bien！　I　no　saw　not　that　that　frog　had　nothing　of　better　than　each　frog〃？
I　have　no　heart　to　write　more。　　I　never　felt　so　about　anything　before。

HARTFORD；　March；　1875；






JOURNALISM　IN　TENNESSEE　＇Written　about　1871。＇

　　　　　The　editor　of　the　Memphis　Avalanche　swoops　thus　mildly　down　upon　a
　　　　　correspondent　who　posted　him　as　a　Radical：　〃While　he　was　writing
　　　　　the　first　word；　the　middle；　dotting　his　i's；　crossing