In his short story, “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” Mark Twain narrates a tale which shows the dangers of gambling and betting. Better yet, Twain shows that a good, jolly story will make the storyteller burst at the seams until it is told.
Upon the recommendation of a friend, Twain headed to the Angel’s mining camp to ask Simon Wheeler about a certain Reverend Leonidas W. Smiley. However, hearing the name “Smiley,” Wheeler tells a story, not about the reverend, but about Jim Smiley. He corners Twain and just has to tell his story.
