Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-06-17
The Alligator.

nOu H0SC "lAteCu VoIAOuo
things regarding the alligator, but We
are not bound to believe any OF them.
He is classed as a reptile, but we can
put him in any other class We think
best, this being q free country. He
is at the present time the largest of
his species, and in the enjoyment of
perfect health. His relatives, as far
as heard from, are also well, thank
you. .'.'tH'.
For hundreds of years the wise
men of the world vainly tired to ,fud
out what alligators were made for.
Some supposed they were parlor
ornament; Others contended that
their. mission was to tow sawlogs up
and down and many persona firmly
believed that the reptile had ne other
aim in life. than to get hold OF, the
juicy heel Of runaway darkey.' . :
We shalfdivide the alligstor into
several sections, in order to study his
different points. The head CONES
first. It is one part head ani two
parts mouth, this chap being the only
living thing that can open his mouth
as far as he wants to; and then have
lots Of, spare mouth left. 6Ths jaws Il
are, built on the, sawmill, principle. i,
While one is working, the other Is
resting and getting ready for q soft
snap" No one ever experirhented to-
see just how. strong.an alligator sMssi
in his jaws, but. when they have been
seen to crunch the, end of, q saw.log,
and bend a crow-bar double. you
may take it fol" granted that small
boys shoulder blades wouldn't stop
their .teeth very long, Their teeth
are. nun,srous, and made on; honor.
They not only use them to pick up
tender iIifahts, lost Overheard, but to
haul prosy old spotted cows Off tie
river bank and put them lbegond
further pain and sorrowi oiWhen ap1
alligator gets fair hold Of you there
is only one thing to do-call The,
police. 7' .l'.< a. 'o'''i - '"S v
I'm the head are the ,eyes.. they
could not grow in a better. tplaceibol
please the reptile. They, are SO set
that he can see before and behind
him, and there is no danger Of Their
getting blacked in D free tight. II
tie eyes took up more room there
wouldn't be SO much mouth; 4 there
fore, the eyes are, no larger than
those OF dog. ,;- :
The legs Of an alligator are Short
and stout, it not being supposed that
he would ever participate in walk
ing match. He uses them With. equal
facility on land or water, and but
very few cork egs have ever been
seen in use among them. It might
have been just as wellhad theseIrepi
tiles been built on the principle of the
camel or the giraffe, but We must mot
complain of Natures ways,
/. The body and tail are covered with
an extra'Ioof to protect the allig stor
from hailstoHes and brick bats, and
it $ no use to shoot beans at him from
the top of high bank. 1t has beeu
asserted that q bullet cannot pene-
trate this thick skin, but if you ever
get sight of one of the gentry pop
your bullets at him from any point of
the compass. If they don't kill him
they will certainly cause sorrowful
thoughts, and perhaps lead to reso-
luton to reform. The tail is firmly
fastened to the body, and is both
ornamental and useful. The. day
may not be far distant, when we shall
walk down to the placid waters at
eveningtime to gaze on, race Of
bob-tailed alligatois, but just at pres
ent they have lots of use for these
pieces of personal property. 1t Is
said that they can knock man end
over end with one sweep of the tail,
but they are seldom mean enough to
do it. '" -'.at8 Las ,'iot7hl=i,
Alligators eat most q evenything
which comes in their way and make
no complaints. No lsndlady would
have the least trouble with them.
They like eacll others society, but
prefer to put in any spare tune they
have in the company of snch men o.
they can lay hold Of. 4, Their habits
are very regular, their. conduct all
that can be expected, and they stick
to business till the pond dries up:
AS a general rule il you are up in .
tree and the alligator is in o pond he
is not inclined to meddle with your
affairs, but you can arouse his curios-
ity and his belIigcrent disposition
very quickly by dropping down aud
trying to use him as O. ferry boat.
He no doubt gets along just a. we'll
as if he had been 2 clam or AZ, oyster,
and don't you put faith ID any his.
torian who tries to fiske you beieve
that the reptile sighsHfo any chsnge
beyond that Of diet. .s.! h-la iqatq},