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The Toad our Best Friend by EDWARD B.CLARK NCLB SAM'S scientists have had more than one good word to say for the toad. Several govern* ment publications have been is sued. I am told, telling about the toad and its good work. There is no department in nature which is overlooked by the scientists of Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson’s department. If it is be lieved by the experts that any U benefit may come to the people of the United States by the study of the habits of a particu lar animal, that animal Is studied forthwith and studied carefully. In folk lore history and In the history of lo calities which hardly can be classed as folk lore, the frog and the toad frequently have been confused; sometimes stories have been told of frog visitations and it has turned out that the invading army was composed of toads. The reverse of the statement also has been found to be true on several occasions. Some years ago an army of track-hopping tramp toads took possession of the gravel road bed of the Sioux City and Pacific railway, and in unbroken column miles in length, as the local story had it, the toads marched past the town of Blencoe, lowa. It is stated that there were so many millions in this mighty army that nothing like an accurate estimate of the toads could be made. The ground was said to be brown with the color of its visitants. If there was such an army of the batra chians as it is said there was It would be no wonder if the residents of the infested district might have feared that the toads would divert their course from the railroad Into the towns, to repeat Pharaoh’s plague of the frogs, "When the rivers brought forth frogs abundantly, which went up into the houses, and into the bed chambers, and even upon the beds, and upon the people, and even Into the ovens and Into the kneading troughs." Now the toad is not nearly so handsome a being as is his frog cousin. He never could "a-wooing go" like his green-coated brother, despite the fact that Shakespeare proclaims that his toadship has a Jew el in his head. Ugly and venomous. the bard of Avon writes the toad down, and ugly and venomous to the people’s mind In many places he is to this day, al though in reality he ranks with the birds as one of humanity’s best friends. As a matter of fact, it is likely that the brown-skinned ar my which moved without banners in military array some years ago was on the march to meet the great army of Rocky Mountain lo custs which, was moving steadily forward in an op posite direction and in Gen eral Sherman’s words, "For aging liberally upon the country.” Even though the toads are so harmless and help ful, they perhaps will never get anyone to love them. It must be admitted that ap pearances are against them. The lowa people who some years ago were visited by the toads had no reason to arrogate to themselves any particular distinction on ac count of the visitation, for In scores of instances the animals have appeared in Immense bodies, and in some cases, without any Intention so to do, they have inaugurated veri table reigns of terror. Years ago, in the little Puritan settlement of Windham, Conn., out of which sprang as many notable American families, perhaps, as have come from any other colonial hamlet, a migration of toads led the people to believe that the tocsin of the last day had been sound ed. and they were all summoned, sinners and sinless, to answer at the bar of judgment. Tra dition says that the migration which brought this fear upon the people was one of the frogs. Scientists of today lean rather to the toad theory, but it made little difference to the frightened populace which species of batra chian brother it was that brought horror into midst. Now it happened that there lived in Wind- Wkm two colonial colonels, big men and digni fied, by names Dyer and Elderkin. It may do no harm at this late day to say that both these military titled gentlemen were more fond of good living, so the story goes, than was per haps exactly consistent with the strictest Pur itan thoughts. Some of the elders of the place. It is said, looked a bit askance at some of the views of Colonels Dyer and Elderkin. There were slaves In that day in Connecticut and Windham held its share. One peaceful night in May the Windham families retired at their usual hour, not long after "candle light." At midnight they were wrapped in the profoundest slumber, but no sleep however sound could withstand the roar that broke upon that peaceful hamlet in the watches of the night There were blended the noises of a million throats. It was guttural, fiarsh and horrible, and it came out of the letty blackness of midnight. The people of Windham Jumped from their beds panic strick en, threw on what clothes they could, and rushed outdoors, many bearing pine torches, which ate little light holes in the inky black ness. The slaves were prostrated with fear and clung to the knees of their masters. The noise ceased not for an instant, but on the contrary increased with every moment, and then, to the added horror of all, the noise found shape In words which one quick-eared, imaginative woman interpreted into this, all but two of the people accepting the interpretation read ily: "Judgment day; Judgment day; Colonel Dyer and Elderkin too, and catch a nigger too." It Is perhaps needless to say that the only ,wa neoDle among the white inhabitants of UOT/ffUG JJKD AU ACCUBATJT £3T/rtAT£ COULD ££ or Windham who did not thoroughly accept the in terpretation were Colonels Dyer and Elderkin. to a few minutes the light of the torches showed an immense ooncourse of toads or frogs, whichever they were, bearing down the main street of the town, croaking and "glucklng" like a myriad of night demons. It suddenly struck the people that if Judgment day was at hand, notwithstanding the fact that Colonelß Dyer and Elderkin seemed to have been singled out by the visitors, the day of accounting according to the Bible was an all embracing affair, and thereat all the Windham people started trembling violently. There are living today a good many persons who are direct descendants of the Colonel Elder kin whom the batrachlans called to Judgment that night. In Chicago until recently there lived a Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Norris, a direct descend ant of Colonel Elderkin. Mrat Norris had heard the story of the invasion of the village a score of times from the lips of her grandmother, who as a child was taken time after time to see the plaoe from which the night disturbers came. To the days of their deaths Colonels Dyer and Elderkin were called Frog Dyer and Frog Elderkin, and if local Connecticut authorities are to be believed, there has not been qeen from that day to this either a toad or a frog in the meadow and pond from which started that midnight migration. To get away, for a moment, from frogs and toads, and in order to lead back to them again, let it be said that out in Utah the gull is a care fully protected bird. Olive Thorne Miller speaks of them as “great, beautiful, snowy creatures who look strangely out of place so far from the sea shore." I have been told that these gulls are sacredly protected by the law and the people of the western state, and I have also been told that the early settlers, the Mormons, believed that the Lord has sent the birds to his chosen people. It is no wonder that it was believed the gulls were specially sent Clouds of grasshoppers had destroyed the crops in that early day in many of the western territories. They attacked Utah by the million millions. Then it was that the gulls appeared—birds never before seen in that locality within the memory of man. They came in tremendous flocks and devoured without stopping the hoetß of the enemy, and they completely saved the crops from destruction. Now the gulls follow the plains like chickens, and In Utah at least, it is said that no one has any desire to raise his hand against them. What ths gull* was to Salt Lake region the toad was to one section of a northwest Texas county, some time ago. There was but a com paratively small area of the county under cul tivation, but the growing things were threat ened with destruction by a horde of Rocky Mountain locusts; then there appeared to the astonished gaze of the resident Texans an army of toadß, before which in numbers the great army of Xerxes was but as a score. These dismal-looking, warty-backed Hop-o’-my thumbs came along as on business bent. They said nothing and they ate grasshoppers. They cleaned up utterly one entire flight of the crea tures. And they quietly sat under the cab bage leaves and beet tops to wait for more. They didn’t come. The toads had saved the crops, and it may be Judged that if one wants to be certain to get in a quarrel he can get it If he will go that section of Texas and ma lign a toad. Should anyone be inclined to doubt the in sect-eating capabilities of a common every-day American toad, let him listen to the evidence of an experimenter, who is at onoe a scientist and a ftlergyman, the one fact establishing his accuracy and the other his veracity. This theologue-naturalist, as the record shows, found a toad in his garden and proceeded to make a pet of it. He went to call on master toad one morning about ten o’clock and with out knowing how many insects already had fallen before the toad’s darting tongue, pro ceeded to feed him on plant pests. The toad ate readily and greedily twenty-three large squash bugs which were offered him, and then looked up inquiringly for more. The squash bug larder was depleted, so the clergyman turned his attention to caterpillars. Of these hairy, repulsive creatures the toad ate ninety-four, so the story record goes, and then ho shut down to hop heavily off to a shady corner to take that rest which it is said aids animal digestion. Now this same experimenter tells tales of toads which might appear a bit overdrawn, were not the gentleman’s cloth what it is. He took in his experiments with one toad some McA&trrtwpv \ r/f£/?£ MTStfS BLDUDSD T/i£ NO/~S£S Of A AfUl/OJY rUDOATJ large "tangle-legged" grasshoppers. Master toad took kindly to this species of food, but owing to to the nature of the Insect s legs and their extreme length he found difficulty in swallowing. In order to aid In the process, as soon as he would get a firm grip on the grass hopper he would look for a stick or a stone by means of pushing against which he could force his prey down his throat Now In order to see what the toad would do If no stone or stick were at hand, all of those articles were re moved from his vicinity, and then he was fed another big grasshopper with great knotted legs. Now It must bo remembered that the pres ent writer is not vouching for this toad story; he is simply setting It down as it has been told by an observer, and If it is a “nature fake" the blame must go elsewhere. The toad, finding he could not swallow the big grasshop per, looked about as usual for a stone and, finding none, he attempted to use the ground as a pusher. He was unable to get the right angle to secure sufficient forco, and so as a last and perfectly effective means, he stood on his head and without the least difficulty forced his food down his throat. This toad unquestionably was a wonder. One day. we are told, be happened to find an angleworm of great length. He took hold of one end and succeeded In swallowing about an inch and a half of the worm, which then realizing Its danger apparently, wound the rest of Its body boa-llko around the neck of the toad. This gave the worm leverage enough to enable it to tug away at that part which the toad already had swallowed. The result was that although by a mighty effort the toad could swallow about half an Inch, the worm, when the relaxation came, succeeded In with drawing three-quarters of an inch. The toad saw his breakfast slipping away from him, but his infinite wit came to his rescue. It is said that ho Bat up like a squirrel took one mighty swallow, and then before the worm could get In its withdrawing work, he pressed his fore feet against his throat and held the swallowed part of the breakfast in place; then, so the story goes, by a Beries of quick successive Bwallowlng and throat squeezing, the toad soon had the worm In tho dark Interior where he was needed for breakfast. Toad migrations are not extraordinarily un common events. They have taken place In many parts of the country, and once the toads in traveling succeeded In stalling a railroad train on the Canadian Pacific line. The story of this runs to the effect that the wheels crushed the creatures and so greased the rails that progress was impossible for some time. The passengers said that they could have stood the situation more philosophically If the blockaders had been frogs, for then the ques tion of the food supply would have been settled for a lot of hungry people. Frogs’ legs make good eating. It is not generally known, perhaps, to the layman that toads, like frogs, lay their eggs in the water. Countless millions of eggs will be deposited in some morass. They hatch out, the young get big enough, and migrate in a body to the dry land, sometimes going long distances as an entity. These, it is said, are the marching armies of toads which astonish people and accounts of which are spread broadcast over the earth. Straw Hats and Autos "You might scarcely think,” said Mr. Mac- Blink, "that there was anything in common be tween straw hats and automobiles, but by that way of thinking you’d be surely forgetting their cost of upkeep, in which respect they are strikingly alike. "They say it costs more to Keep an automo bile than it does to buy one; precisely the same Is true of the straw hat You take my own experience for an illustration. "Early in the season I bought a straw hat for which I paid $2. I know a place where you can get a very good straw hat for that money, and If it hadn’t rained all summer I should have been on the straw hat account under no additional expense. “But It always does rain more or less, just as it has done this summer, and as Is very well known if a drop of rain gets on a straw hat It is all up. Raindrops on a straw hat will accumulate dust, and then you have to have the hat cleaned, and that costs money; in some places 25 cents; in some 15. "I find by reference to ray books that I have paid out this summer In straw hat ac count for upkeep only $2.30, which Is a good deal. While the automobile man has been spending his money for gasoline and things I have been blowing mine for hat cleaning, and it has cost me more to keep that hat going than it cost me originally. "But in this I find some Blight satisfaction. In this respect at least I find myself on the same footing with the man who at the begin ning of the season bought Instead of a straw hat an automobile." LATE MARKET QUOTATIONS Cattle. Beef steers, grain fed, good to choice 6.75@6.50 Beef steers, grain fed, fair to good 5.00@5.75 Beef steers grassers, good to choice 4.75@6.09 Beef steers, grassers, fair to good 4.00(0*4.70 Cows and heifers, grain fed, good to choice 5.00@5.50 Cows and heifers, grain fed, fair to good 4.35®6.00 Cows and heifers, grassers, good to choice 3.75®5.00 Cows and heifers, grassers, fair to good 3.25®3.05 Stock cows and heifers ... .2.50®3.25 Canners and cutters 1.50® 2.50 Veal calves 5.50@6.75 Bulls 2.75®3.25 Stags 3.00® 4.00 Feeders and Stockers, good to choice 4.40®5.50 Feeders and Stockers, fair to good 3.75@4.40 Feeders and Stockers, com mon to fair 3.00®3.75 Hogs. Good hogs .8.50@8.75 Sheep. fiwes ...» .3.26®3.75 Wethers 3.85®4.10 Yearlings 4.75@5.25 Lambs 6.25@6.65 Feeder lambs, f. p. r 5.25@6.10 Feeder yearlings, f. p. r. ..4.75®5.00 Feeder ewes, f. p. r 2.50®3.50 Grain. Wheat, choice milling, per 100 lbs., $1.37. Rye, Colorado, bulk, per 100 lbs., sl.lO. Nebraska oats, sacked, $1.30; corn In sacks, $1.20; corn chop, sacked, $1.21; bran, Colorado, per 100 lbs., SI.OO. Hay. Upland, per ton, $15.00® 16.00; sec ond bottom, $13.00 @ 14.00; timothy, $15.00@16.00; alfalfa, $13.00 @14.00; straw, $4.00@5.00; South Park wire grass, $17.00 @IB.OO. San Luis Valley wire grass, $16.00@16.00. Dressed Poultry. Turkeys 22 @23 Turkeys, choice 20 @2l Turkeys, medium 18 Hens, fancy 15 @l6 Hens, medium ...12 @l3 Ducks I® @1? Geese 1® @l2 Broilers, lb 17 @2O Springs, lb. . 14 @l6 Roosters 08 @O9 Live Poultry. Hens 13 @l4 Springs, lb 12 @l3 Broilers, lb 15 @l7 Roosters 08 @O9 Ducks 13 @l4 Geese 09 @lO Turkeys, lb 19 @2O Butter. Elgin 29 Creameries, ex. East., lb. . .31 @32 Creameries, ex. Colo., lb. . .31 @32 Creameries, 2nd grade, 1b..28 @29 Process and renovated... .27 @2B Packing stock 22 Vi Eggs. Eggs, Denver candled, case 7.80 Eggs, case count, case ... 7.10 MISCELLANEOUS MARKETS. Galveston Cotton. Galveston. —Cotton higher, 14c. Lead and Spelter. St. Louis. —Lead —Dull, $4.25. Spelter—Quiet at $5.40. St. Louis Wool. St Louis. —Wool—Steady. Medium grades, combing and clothing, 23@ 24s* light fine 19@21c; heavy fine, 15@17«: tub washed, 25@33c. Minneapolis Wheat. Minneapolis. Wheat December, $1.07%; May, $1.11%; cash No. 1 hard. $1.10%; No. 1 Northern, $1.09 %@ 1.09%; No. 2 Northern. $1.04 %@ 1.07%; No. 3 Northern, $1.02%® 1.05%. Money in New Yarfc. New York. —Money on oall, firm, 2% @ 3 per cent; ruling rate, 2% per cent; closing bid, 3 per cent; offered 3 per cent^ Time loans, firm, CO days, 4% ; nine ty days, 4%@G; six months, 4%@4%. Prime mercantile paper, 5% to 6 per cent. Sterling exchange, steady, with ac tual business in bankers’ bills at $4.83 @4.8325 for sixty day bills, and at $4.8640 for demand. Commercial bills, $4.82%@4.82%. Mexican dollars, 45c. Government bonds, steady; railroad bonds firm. Chicago Options. Chicago.—Cash quotations were as follows: Flour—Steady. Rye—No. 2, 74%c. Barley—Feed or mixing, 60@G6c; fair to choice malting, 68@72c. Kansas City Produce. Kansas City.—Butter Creamery. 28c; firsts 25c; seconds, 23c; packing stock, 22c. Eggs—Extras, 26c; firsts, 23 %o; seconds, 17c.