The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-12-17
MISCELLANY.
nLUE LICK ErS, PETS.

iitt Shd.SSty shlloiS, diC
sometimes styled, are passionately fond of
pets. They must have something to love, if
it be but woolly headed black-boy, or n cock
roach in a 'baccy-box. little blaek-beyss in
deed, may often be found on board q man-o-
war the reigning pets They are very preco-
cious. You can teach them all they will ever
learn in the short space of six months. OF
this kind was one remember, little Freezing
powders, rs black as midnight, and shining
all over like billiard ball, with his round,
curly head, and pleasant, dimply face.
Freezing powders soon became a general
favorite both fore and aft. His master, our
marine-officer, picked him up somewhere on
the west coast and, although only years of
age, before he was four months in the ship,
he could speak good English, was a perfect
little gymnast and knew many tricks and
capers as the cook and the monkey. Snow
bali was another | knew, but SNOWFALL took
to rum at an early age, lost caste, became dis
sipatod and a gambler, and finally fled to his
native Jungle
Jock, of ours was seal of tender years.
who for many months retained the affections
of all hands, until washed overheard in gale
of wind. This creatures time ON board was
fully occupied in a daily round Of duty,
pleasure, and labor His duty consisted in
eating seven meals u day. and bathing in
tub after each his pleasure, to lie on his
side OH the quarterback, and be scratched
and petted; while his labor consisted in
ceaselessly endeavoring to enlarge II certain
scupper-hole sufficiently to permit his escape
to his native ocean. How indefatigably he
used to work, day by day, and hour after
hour, scraping on the iron, first with one
flipper, then another, then poking his nose in
to measure the result with his whiskered
face lie kept the hole bright and clear, but
did not sensibly enlarge it, at least to human
ken. Jocks successor on that ship was a
youthful bear of arctic nativity. He wasn't a
wanted to eat your hand us well, but he never
said, "Thank you," and permitted no
familiarity. When he took his walks abroad,
which he did every morning although he
never went out of his road fJr a row, he
walked straight ahead, with his nose down
odib, Siobiht, anu Sht"SA "'i' Wv WY
thing that touched hini--not at alt n pet
worth being troubled with.
Did the reader ever hear of the sailor who
tanned cockroach? Well, this man | was
shipmatc with. lie built little cage, with
little kennel in the corner of it, expressly for
his unsavory pet, and he called the creature
Idzky-" which he named himself, sir" he
explained to me. Idzky was giant Of his
race. His length was fully four inches his
breadth one inch, while each of his waving
feelers measured six. This monster knew his
name and his masters voice, hurrying out
from his kennel when called upon, and emit
ting the strange sound which gained for him
the cognomcn Idzky. The boatswain, his
master, was as proud of him us he might have
been of prize bug, and never tired of exhi-
biting his eccentricitics.
met the boatswain the other day at the
Cape, and inquired for his pet. y
ooh, SIR he said with genuine feeling,
"he's gone, sir. Shortly after you left the
ship, poor Idzky took to taking rather too
much liquor and that don't do for any of us,
YOU know sir. l think it was that, for
never had the heart to put him on allowance /;
and he went raving mad, had regular fits of
delirium tremens, and did nothing but run
round his cage and bark, and wouldn't look
at ANYTHING in the way of food. Well one
day I was coming off the forenoon watch,
1 when what did | see but a double line of
them sP' ants working in and out of the little
place; twenty or so were carrying wing,
and dozen leg, and half a score running
ON with a feeler, just like men carrying q
slowed mainsail .and that, says I, lis poor
Idzky's funeral and so it was, and di dn't
disturb them Poor Idzky !"
Peter was pet mougoose OF mine, kindly,
cozy little fellow, who slept around my neck
at night and kept me clear of cockroaches,
as well as my implacable enemies the rats. /
was good to Peter, and fed him well, and
} used to take him ON shore at the Cape among
the snakes. The snakes were for Peter to
fight; and the way my wee friend lodged
and closed with, and finally throttled and
killed COBRA was caution to that subtlest
of all the beasts of the field. The presiding
Malay used to clap his brown bands with joy
as he exclaimed "Ah, sauve, good mongoose,
sar proper mongoose to kill the snake
" You don't object, do you, | modestly