The Judge and the 'Toad' in the Bed

Judge Pittman has a habit of slipping his watch under his pillow when he goes to bed. One night it somehow slipped down, and as the Judge was restless it worked its way toward the foot of the bed. After a bit, while he was lying awake, his foot touched it; it felt very cold; he was surprised, scared, and jumping from the bed, he said: 'My gracious, Maria, there's a toad or something under the covers. I touched it with my foot.' Mrs. Pittman gave a loud scream and leaped out. 'Now, don't go to hollering and waking up the neighborhood,' said the Judge. 'You get a broom or something and we will fix the thing mighty quick.' Mrs. Pittman then got the broom and gave it to the Judge, with the remark that it felt as though snakes were crawling up and down her legs and back. 'Oh, nonsense, Maria! Now, turn down the covers slowly while I hold the broom and bang it. Put a bucket of water alongside the bed so that we can shove it in and drown it.' Mrs. Pittman then did as requested and gently removed the covers. The Judge held the broom uplifted, and as the black ribbon of the silver watch was revealed, he cracked away at it three or four times with the broom, then he pushed the thing off into the bucket. Then they took a light and investigated the matter. When the Judge saw what it was, he said: 'I might have known; it is just like you women to go screeching and fussing about nothing. It is utterly ruined.' 'It was you that made the fuss, not me,' said Mrs. Pittman. 'You needn't try to put the blame on me.' Then the Judge turned in and growled at Maria until he fell asleep.