Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-05-08
ALLIGATORS AS PETS.

From the Christian at Work.
The N,w York Times has an article on
household pets, iu which it playiully and some
what Sarcastlcdlly suggests pet alllgatorS as
variety Tor the house.
Now, absurd as the alligator may seem for a
net, il 50 happens that W. ouce had some Of
hcm, aud very pleasant little pets they proved
~ be- Ii was during residence, some years
sro. in Southern city, not far from the bay
o,,,. where alligators, great and smal, are to be
bad by the hundred thousand. lustead OF &C.
irs in person 10 catch the little fellows, We Sc
rurrd the services of an aged American citizen
nj African descent, who kueW more than we
did abcut keeping cut of the way of the par
ert a.Iigaturs. He scooped up dozen or two
Of baby gators, aud brought them IN, his face
oruamrntcd with broad grin OF delight, III an
ticluati0n of the dollar he had been promised
Tor catching them.
For several months number Of these lively
little fellows Uccu lied a ucat aquarium tauk ID
The library window. where the sun Shone on
them. They were as Lively as little cats, and
un!tc as playful Equally happy II the water
and out OF it, they would trisk about like 81
MANY monkeys when they lelt 50 disguised, aud
vhcn they felt lazy (tJr alhsators, like other
folks. are subject to attacks OF lazuess) they
would stretch themselves out: or lie 10 heap.
one Oh the other, and bask iu the sunshine.
They lad habit of eating almost any eatable
thing that was given to them, their principal
luxury being live flies Iu catching those in.
sccls they exhibited great dexlerity Large
beetle curkroachcS also afforded them much
pleasure. There was an abundance OF these
in the house, and the alligators considerably
reduced tie stock. These slgators were in
then first Summer, and were ouly few inches
long. They would run over peoples hands
aud Clothes, and climb upon shoulders with
great iyeiluess. We gave some OF them away,
aud the rest probably pampered by pettlng
aud oyerteedlDg, died
We ouce owned all alligator which was six
feet long But he frightened an old lady out
OF her wits, aud SO we gave him away. lie was
too large for pet. But, in heir first or Secoud
year, gators are pleasant pets, aud no more
dangerous than kittens.
A BEAUTIFUL INCIDENT William ". ex-
rircd about mdulgh, at Windsor Palace The
Archbishop Of Canterbury, with other peers
and high functionarles of the Kingdom were lu
attendance As soon as the "sceptre had de-
parted with the last breath of the king, the
Archbishop quilted Windsor Castle, and made
lis way, with all possible speed to keusington
Palace the residence at that time OF the prln-
cc>s--alrcady by the law OF succession, Queen
Victoria He arrived long before daylight, an
uOunced himself aud requested an immediate
interview with the princess. She hastily at
tired herself and met the venerable prelate in
her ROOM He informed her ofthe demise
0. William and formally announced to her that
she was, in law and right, successor to the de-
ceased monarch. "The sovereignty of the
most powerful nation of the earth lay at the
feet Of girl Of eighteen" She was, dc jure,
queen of the only realm, in fact OF history, "on
which the sun rever sets" She was deeply
agita,cd at the formidable words 80 fraught
with heSsiugs or calamity" The first words
she was able to utter were these, u ask your
prayers in my behalf" They kneeled down
tcge;hcr; and Victoria inaugurated her reign,
like The young King of Israel in the olden time,
bya>kipg from he Most High, who ruleth 10 the
Kingdoms Of men, IAN understanding heart to
judge so great people, who could not be num-
u,rcd nor counted for multitude fhe Sc
QucI OF her reign has been worthy of such be-.
ginning. Every throne in Europe has totercd
since that day Most of them have for time
been overturned. That of England was never
50 firmly seated IN the loyalty and love OF the
people as at this hour Queen Victoria enjoys
personal Influence too-the heartfelt homage
paid to her as wife, mother, and beDeiactor
To the poor Christian woman-lncompara-
bly wiser aud greater than any monarch now
rtlgnng She is loved at home aud admired
abroad