henooriousjumpingfrogofcaverascouny

markwain

incompliancewihherequesofafriendofmine,whowroemefromheeas,icalledongoodnaured,garrulousoldsimonwheeler,andinquiredafermyfriend’sfriend,leonidaswsmiley,asrequesedodo,andihereunoappendheresulihavealurkingsuspicionhaleonidaswsmileyisamyh;hamyfriendneverknewsuchapersonage;andhaheonlyconjecuredhaifiaskedoldwheelerabouhim,iwouldremindhimofhisinfamousjimsmiley,andhewouldgooworkandboremeodeahwihsomeexasperaingreminiscenceofhimaslongandasediousasishouldbeuselessomeifhawashedesign,isucceeded

ifoundsimonwheelerdozingcomforablybyhebarroomsoveofhedipidaedaverninhedecayedminingcampofangel’s,andinoicedhahewasfaandbaldheaded,andhadanexpressionofwi

inggenlenessandsimpliciyuponhisranquilcounenanceherousedup,andgavemegooddayioldhimafriendofminehadcommissionedmeomakesomeinquiriesabouacherishedcompanionofhisboyhoodnamedleonidaswsmiley—revleonidaswsmiley,ayoungminiserofhegospel,whohehadheardwasaoimearesidenofangel’scampiaddedhaifmrwheelercouldellmeanyhingabouhisrevleonidaswsmiley,iwouldfeelundermanyobligaionsohim

simonwheelerbackedmeinoacornerandblockadedmeherewihhischair,andhensadownandreeledoffhemonoonousnarraivewhichfollowshisparagraphheneversmiled,heneverfrowned,heneverchangedhisvoicefromhegenleflowingkeyowhichheunedhisiniialsenence,heneverberayedheslighessuspicionofenhusiasm;buallhroughheinerminablenarraivehereranaveinofimpressiveearnesnessandsinceriy,whichshowedmepinlyha,sofarfromhisimagininghaherewasanyhingridiculousorfu

yabouhissory,heregardediasareallyimporanmaer,andadmirediswoheroesasmenofranscendengeniusinfinesseilehimgooninhisownway,andneverinerrrupedhimonce

“revleonidaswh’m,reverendle—well,herewasafellerhereoncebyhenameofjimsmiley,inhewinerof49—ormaybeiwashespringof’50—idon’recollecexacly,somehow,houghwhamakesmehinkiwasoneorheoherisbecauseirememberhebigflumewarn’finishedwhenhefirscomeohecamp;buanyway,hewashecuriousesmanaboualwaysbeingonanyhinghaurnedupyoueversee,ifhecouldgeanybodyobeonheoherside;andifhecouldn’he’dchangesidesanywayhasuiedheohermanwouldsuihim—anywayjusso’shegoabe,hewassaisfiedbusillhewaslucky,uncommonlucky;hemosalwayscomeouwi

erhewasalwaysreadyandyingforachance;herecouldn’benosoli’ryhingmenionedbuhafeller’dofferobeoni,andakeanysideyouplease,asiwasjusellingyouifherewasahorserace,you’dfindhimflushoryou’dfindhimbusedaheendofi;ifherewasadogfigh,he’dbeoni;ifherewasacafigh,he’dbeoni;ifherewasachickenfigh,he’dbeoni;why,ifherewaswobirdsseingonafence,hewouldbeyouwhichonewouldflyfirs;orifherewasacampmeeing,hewouldbeherereg’robeonparsonwalker,whichhejudgedobehebesexhorerabouhere,andsohewasoo,andagoodmanifheevenseeasraddlebugsarogoanywheres,hewouldbeyouhowlongiwouldakehimogeo—owhereverhewasgoingo,andifyouookhimup,hewouldfollerhasraddlebugomexicobuwhahewouldfindouwherehewasboundforandhowlonghewasonheroadlosofheboysherehasseenhasmiley,andcanellyouabouhimwhy,inevermadenodifferenceohim—he’dbeonanyhing—hedangdesfellerparsonwalker’swifeidverysickonce,foragoodwhile,andiseemedasifheywarn’goingosaveher;buonemorninghecomein,andsmileyupandaskedhimhowshewas,andhesaidshewasconsidablebeer—hankhelordforhisinf’nimercy—andcomingonsosmarhawihheblessingofprov’denceshe’dgewellye;andsmiley,beforehehough,says,’well,i’llreskwoandahalfshedon’anyway’

“hishyersmileyhadamare—heboyscalledherhefifeenminuenag,buhawasonlyinfun,youknow,becauseofcourseshewasfaserhanha—andheusedowinmoneyonhahorse,forallshewassoslowandalwayshadheashma,orhedisemper,orheconsumpion,orsomehingofhakindheyusedogiveherwoorhreehundredyards’sar,andhenpassherunderway;bualwaysahefagendofheraceshe’dgeexciedanddesperaelike,andcomecavoringandsraddlingup,andscaeringherlegsaroundlimber,someimesinheair,andsomeimesouoonesideamonghefences,andkickingupmoredusandraisingmorerackewihhercoughingandsneezingandblowinghernose—andalwaysfechupahesandjusabouaneckahead,asnearasyoucouldcipheridown

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