42 MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. 



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 batter in jumping (elle peut batter 

 en sautant) all frogs of the county of Calaveras." 



The individual re-took 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 you — you com- 

 prehend 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 batter 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 longtimes, 

 reflecting all solely. And figure you that he takes Daniel, him opens the mouth by 

 force and with a tea-apoon 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, three, — advance ! " 



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, 



