The smallest animal ov the brute creashun, and the most pesky, iz the
_Flea_.
They are about the bigness ov an onion seed, and shine like a bran new
shot.
They spring from low places, and kan spring further and faster than enny
ov the bug-brutes.
They bite wuss than the musketoze, for they bite on a run; one flea will
go aul over a man's subburbs in 2 minnitts, and leave him az freckled az
the meazels.
It iz impossible to do ennything well with a flea on you, except sware,
and fleas aint afraid ov that; the only way iz tew quit bizzness ov aul
kinds and hunt for the flea, and when you have found him, he ain't
thare. Thiz iz one ov the flea mysterys, the fackulty they hav ov being
entirely lost jist as soon as you hav found them.
I don't suppose thare iz ever killed, on an average, during enny one
year, more than 16 fleas, in the whole ov the United States ov America,
unless thare iz a cazualty ov sum kind. Once in a while thare iz a dogg
gits drowned sudden, and then thare may be a few fleas lost.
They are about az hard to kill az a flaxseed iz, and if you don't mash
them up az fine az ground pepper they will start bizzness agin, on a
smaller kapital, jist az pestiverous az ever.
Thare iz lots ov people who have never seen a flea, and it takes a
pretty smart man tew see one ennyhow; they don't stay long in a place.
If you ever ketch a flea, kill him before you do ennything else; for if
you put it oph 2 minnits, it may be too late.
Menny a flea haz past away forever in less than 2 minnits.