Is the picture enclosed really an original? The surface is smooth. How can I tell a print from an original?

There are normally brush marks on an original. It appears that yours has a texture rather then brush marks.

It doesn't look like an original painting.

Also nice job on taking the pictures. Made it a lot easier to answer.

Here's the original with frame also created by the artist... if you join the site(it's free) you'll see what it sold for.

Amos Shontz, Oil on Canvas, titled “Peaceable Kingdom” : Lot 25 (http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/16621672_amos-shontz-oil-on-canvas-titled-peaceable-kingdom)

Not original. This is a print. This was a popular way to make prints at one time as the texture of the board was designed to look like the weave of a real canvas. Today many prints and even photographs are printed on actual stretched canvases to make them look more real.

This would have originally been painted in either oil or acrylic paints, and in either case you would see brush marks and some ridges in the paint - it would be extremely difficult to paint a completely smooth surface with these thick types of paint. You would not see ridges and brush marks typically in a watercolor painting, which is very thin and floats more over the paper.

Unfortunately , the link you listed was the one that I bought. As you see it was listed as an oil on canvas. As soon as it arrived I realized that it was too smooth to be an original oil.. I did send a scolding letter to the auction house whose owner claims to have a 20 year background in art. (no answer of course) Also everything you buy at that auction is not actionable. However it is a nice print and if it sells I'm sure I won't lose out on it..