The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-07-06

ficient reasons, | was never able to discov-
er | only know that before the alligator
had time to do more than begin his
experiments on little Puffkin's Uranium,
and wagging his tail 10 ecstacy, as If
he would put it out Of joint, the mon.
strous python came to the rescue and
darted his head like thuuderbolt from
the tree, and opening his deep mouth,
well garuished with ivory, and without
saying, "By your leave, my good sir"
fastened like a vice on the alligator's
tail, and in twinkliDg slowed away at
least half fathom of it out of sight.
The feelings of the alligator must
have been severely wounded by this
unexpected and dastardy attack on his
rear, for notwithstanding the hardness
of the skin, the teeth of the suake pene-
trated to the bone, lacerated the flesh,
aud aroused into action all the devil
within him. He gulped forth sno't
and roar which was anything but
musical, aud thresbed or tried to thresh
his tail about to shake off the weight
which was clinging to him closer than
a brother; and now desperate struggh
and squirming took place between these
two powerful reptiles directly before my
eyes, and as if intended for my special
amusement and instruction. 1t wa, a
sight which shall never forget to my
dying day. The alligator obstinately
held on to little Puffkin oil the while,
being 10th to be SO shamefully tricked
and cheatad out Of his promised feast.
The snake now uncoiled his tail from
a branch of the tree aud had chance
to see him in his full proportions. But
he did not stand idle to be gaIed at.
He had work to do and he did il in earn
est. lie switched his long and supple
tail at great rate and tried to get a
turn round the body Of the alligator, in
which he would have sqeezed all the
breath out of his body without giving
him time to say "scaldings !" But the
alligator handled his paws like prize
fighter; or when his enemy succeeded
in getting half turn round him, adroitly
shook him off as if he despised him.
Such a contest could not last long.
1t was only few minutes when, by one
ofthose unexpected contingencies which
sometimes decide the fate of armies, the
tail Of the snake came in contact with
the jaws Of the alligator, who saw his
advantage and with wonderful presence
of mind dropped little Puffkin like q
hot potato, aud in his stead seized tho
squirming tail Of the boa The latter
end Of the long reptile now rapidly dis.
appeared, as, following the example of
his antagonist, the alligator coiled it
away in some mysterious deposit behind
his moustrous mouth.
The serpent, although he began the
fight and attacked the alligator in a
dastardly manner, bouncing on his un-
defended rear, was greatly enraged at
such scandalous proceedings on the part
Of the alligator, who 10 such friendly
competition was determined not to be
outdone, lost no time in drawing in and
slowing away fold after fold of tho
enormous boa constructor.
The desperate struggle, SO far as it was
confined to trial Of strength was over.
II was now a match against time. The
question was, which could swallow the
other one first The snake had the
toughest, roughest aud hardest morsel to
dispose Of, while the alligator had to tuck
away the greatest number of fathoms.
| gazed on admiringly from my sta
tion aloft, aud speculated on which
would win. l finally made up my mind
that If | were to bet, I would bet on the
snake, aud his task seemed the most
formidable. If had staked my money
on either, should have lost, aud to say
the truth, they deserved equal credit for
their perseverance,, energy aud rapacity
and the complete success that attended
their unheard Of efforts.
The contest turned out To be drawn
game-a tie Both lost and both won
They actually spaiio,ccd each other !
And reversing the we'll authenticated
story Of the Kilkenny cats, nothing was
left but their heads.
The conflict was ended. I was as
tonished at the result which so completely
capsized all my calculations, that was
unable to leave at once my seat in the
gum. elastic tree, but sat for some mo.
meuts poudering on the vicissitudcs of
life and the mysteries Of human nature.
When my nerves were little quieted,
leisurely let myself down, for had
nothing to fear now. picked up little
Puifkin, who still breathed, notwith-
standing his forehead and face were
covered with gashes aud blood. took
him on my shoulder aud carried him
down to the boat, cast of the painter,
spread the sail, and it being now ebb
tide, got to the brig Nutmeg just before
sunset, safe and sound, as far as myself
was concerned. And l must say the
old brig never looked so beautiful and
inviting as when l stepped over the
gangway, after having tossed little Puff.
kin up on deck.
"And what became Of the little mig.
ger y eagerly inquired Jonas Harrison.
did he ever come to bis senses, or was
his skull cracked by the jaws Of the
alligator 7"
"How can you ask such foolish
question Jonas 1t would take some-
thing stronger than the jaws of an ALI,
gator to crack an Africans skull, No,
the fright confused his intellect for a
while; his face was wofully SCARED in
many places, aud looked as il he had
undergone the process Of fancy tat
tooing by South Sea Islander. His
nose was squeezed broader aud fiatter
than nature ever intended, aud there
were ugly dents ia his Uranium, but
Me. Elkhorn very kindly bathed his