The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1875-01-30
TTI 4.N
Colonel TolnpLins'Pct Al
lisator. ~.

TFrom the Danbury News

uOmeStlcHllux tDeIh soH HIs 'SI AZ. !Ao
success with The alligator Is. remark
able. A few, years ago. ho bought
one Of these reptiles of sea captain,
who Ind Brought it North when
voting. Being fully acc'imated, n
snow storm only amuses the reptile,
while the cold air Of the North great
~ adds TO tho t0ughpess Of its hide.
The boys have often struck it with u
pixaxe with about as much effect rs
il lind been a.Ateam boiler. =
This alligator is rs eccentric as its
master /; but it is the best disposed
animal in the world. 1t will work
in a tl,reshing machine ten hours n
day, but II ovcrtaskea its mouth
opens sarcastically. .sas
Next to eating ham, its chief de-
light is to 60 with the boys to the
river. where it waits n,ltil they dis.
robe then it plunges in and allows
them to ride on its back. Once u
water moccasin bit lad and fled to
its hole. The alligator threw the
boy ont on tic bank with his tail,
thcn turned It's attention to that Sc, =
pcnt's abiding rnce With its mouth
wide open and its eyes red with rage.
Not less than eigAteens moccasns
were lying dead at the boys feet be-
fore he could CONT six. The-0l,isa!
tor set up u terrific howl of cxulta-
ton. Putting the boy as.ride It's
back, and the snakes in its jaw j.
started for the house Mt the top of
it's speed. Fortunately the lad was
not dangerously injured. Cot. Tomp-
pins rewarded the reptile with box
Of soap grcase and n young pig.
Each spHng JIG scales are renova-
ted with u cold chisel. This little
feature in. its toilet, pleases it I'M
mensely, and i capers around for an
hour afterwards. It hits Singh
lar fancy for mule belonging to the
Colonel, and the mule returns the
feeling with ardent sincerity. They
often feed together in tho anne past
ule. While the mule searches +, +
this'les and briar brushes, the ALI
gator reyales itself with, toads and
fence lizards. Once the mule mired
i'll n marsh watching it catch black
snake. He vas on the point OF
perishins when the alligator pried
him ont. with its tail. Since then be
let's the alligator ride on his back,
and they are as fond OF each other as
couple Of calico Kittens.
Children are great favorites with
the reptile. They give him CHEESE
and cranberrles, and bits OF roast
chicken on their way to school, while
it keeps a sharp lookout for the
cross dogs that may follow them.
The blacksmisl's boy. who trims
its scales,' is a particular friend.
Last March when they were unusu-
ally thick he chiseled c;rcnlar places
in its hide and inserted a cheap bulls
eye clock on either side OF it, and
wcdged them fast. Ats6rst the ami
NAL was uneasy, but when it heard
the ticking, its delight was unbound
ed, and it waddled off to show itself
to the school girls.
Recently it's teeth became SO dull
that it could hardly chew, and it
whined piteously. The biacksmith's
boy gave it a couple Of tom cats and
led it TO the shop, where be filed the
teeth to q keen edge. The animal was
so overjoyed, tint il nm out and
snawed down a hitching post, and
gobbled up q stray pog That was pas
sing. Since then the alligator makes
monthly visits to the shop Tor repairs.
When its lower teeth are done, it
turns over on its back and opens it's
mouth like the gulf of despair, while
the boy puts buzz saw finish on
the upper row.
Strange is it that, we find in the
columns Of the Inter-Ocean and
Tribune Of Chicago, statements that
this and that citizen is going to New