The Portland daily press., 1881-08-18
A Reformed Reptile.
Dose Of Jamaica Ginger Causes an
Alligator to Mentally Sign the Total ABB
stinence Pledge.

| AlngaOor TO mentally Sign the Total Abb
stinence Pledge.
Camden N. j., says the Philadelphia Press,
| rejoices in singular natural curiosity in the
shape of reformed alligator, whose bibulous
propensities at one time threatened to bring
his saurian majesty to drunken, un-alligator
like grave. The reptile, which is years old
and feet in length, is owned by John Brook
er, a saloon keeper at Second and Federal
streets, who has something of fondness for
live pets and devotes great deal of time and
attention to three cats, two dogs, a pair of
frisky gray squirrels, an enormous live frog,
and the alligator. When Mr.. Brooker first be-
came owner, some three years ago, of the ugly
pet it was fresh from the Florida Everglades,
and was an unsophisticated, timid-looking af-
fair, with no higher thought than to eat flies
and bask in the sun. But years residence
in cramped trough, where he was poked at
with fingers and startled by hideous yells, be-
sides receiving an occasional tweak of muse or
serrated TAIL tended to make the alligator
bolder and more active He took an apparent
interest in watching for a chance to seize an
lncautious finger, and grinned a three-inch
grin when RECALLED with live toad or mouse.
ducing his pet TO submit to be handled, and
finally to be taken from his trough and placed
on the bar. These experiments were necessa-
riiy conducted at night, for single effort dur
ing daylight to remove the reptile from his reg
ular quarters would attract an army Of Camden
small boys, yelling themselves hoarse with de-
light and provoking the ire of Brooker to such
degree that he would drop the reptile and
chase the urehins. Solid food in the shape Of
raw meat was eagerly eaten when fed by hand
and one day glass of port wine spilled on the
bar was carefully inspected by his alligatorship,
who looked as though he would have licked 1t
up had he been anything but an ignorant alli-
gator with tongue unadapted to such uses
The supposed hint was enough, however, and
an ingenious affair like flat funnel was con-
structed and an ounce or two of wine poured
down the alligator throat The reptile smiled
CHASTITY gap of three and half inches and
winked his off eye in approval. A little BRAN
dy followed, and then all kinds of liquor were
tried, until it was found to be rather expen-
slve experiment. "It was like pouring water
down rat-hole," said Brooker, who is short,
stout man of apoplectic build, "and we had to
let up after the first day. That alligator got
so full that he couldn't eat his breakfast the
next day, and put up enc paw as though he
had headache" The fun was kept up for
some time, until a very funny gentleman hap
pened in the saloon one day and filled the alii-
gators whiskey full of Jamaica ginger.
THAT" continued Mr.. Brooker looking fond
ly at his pet, who blinked stupidity, "set the
poor fellow against whiskey. He reformed as
suddenly as he took to drink. We poured the
liquor as usual down the funnel, but before
half the tumbler had been emptied the alliga-
tor was standing on the floor and Kissing like
snake. started the funny man out Of the
house with bung driver, and the alligator
cried large tears for nearly two minutes. Since
then the poor fellow has been little temper
ance society all by himself, and drinks moth
ing stronger than blood" and as if to prove
the truth of the story the alligator slashed his
tail about and grinned wider than ever.