Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-12-21
AN ODD TEAM.
\ Man who Has Utilized the Great
Lover of Dog Meat.

| \ man who lives near Mobiles LAX,
has demonstrated the theory that aIi
| gators can he domestiratrd and made
| useful. Several Years ago he captured
two young alligatorS and put them ina
small pond which he had arranged ion
the purpose. He fed them well, gave
them all the dog and other dclicacies
they could eat, and was rewarded by
seeing them develop into the finest
specimens of their race. y gentleman
who recently visited Mobiles Lake, thus
describes the extent to which the alli-
gators have become useful:
While standing on the bank of the
lake heard terrible splashing, and
looking far over the water among the
cypress trees, saw Il man approaching
in boat. He did not use an oar, and
the boat was making such headway that
| | was at loss to understand the motive
power, when the man seeing me, thrust
| Il long stick, which he carried, into the
water and seemed to tap something.
Immediately the course of the boat was
stopped near where | stood. Then |
discerned the boat had been pulled by
two enormous ALI gators at least ten
feet long. They We're harnessed up,
wore collar and names and back bands
"Iou seem to have Il rapid team"
said. exhibiting as little surprise us pos
sible, knowing that astonishmcnt on
my part would close his mouth as to
any information that he conld impart.
"ies, pretty pert team
"Were they hard to train?
"No, not much. General Grant
thar" tapping the leader, "was a little
stubborn, but Mr.. Beccher, thar" tap
ping the other monster, "was mighty
easy"
"Why did You select such names for
them"
"Wall, you see, call the leader
Grant cause he hardly ever opens his
mouth, an | call this one Bcecher
cause he opens his mouth on all occa-
sions. See him. Don't care what you
are talkin' about, politics or religion,
Mr.. Beecher here will open his mouth,
but the General don't pay no attention,
but shutting one eye, sortcr, he opens
the other and seems to he lookin' away
off in the future"
"What are these things floating beside
the team"
"Gourds. You see if it want fur
them, the alligators would sink when
they stop. They can float when they
want to, but nothin' would give 'em
more pleasure than to sink an leave me
in the lurch."
"In what way do you reap benefit
from working these great Lizards, other
than by enjoying the oddity of the per-
formance?"
He looked at me with an expression
ef pity and replied: "DOn't you see?
Why, ! haul wood across the lake for
the railroad, an am the only man in
this community that can do it. The
cypress trees are to thick for Il steam
boat, an pullin' boat with oars would
be out of the question. Another adj
vantage have is, that when the wood
is in marsh where the water is too
shallow for Il row boat, this team drags
my boat over all right"
Something popped like slapping two
large boards together and looking
around saw the hind legs of my fine
setter dog protruding from Mr.. Beecher's
mouth.
"Great Caesar, sir, your devilish rep
tile has eaten my dog!"
"Oh, yas, so | see. | told you that
Mr.. Beechcr always had his mouth
OPEN"
"But it was the closing of the mouth
that deprived me Of my dog"
"That's so, an right here I'll give you
Il pinter on Mr.. Beecher," and | thought
that he spoke of pointer because the
thing had eaten my setter, hut seeing
that he had no intention of making Il
pun l allowed him to proceed. "Mr.
Beecher," continued the man, "nearly
always has his mouth open, and never
shuts it only when it's to his advantage.
Mr. Beecher, III fact, opens his mouth
for other folks, but shuts it for him
self. Good day, sir. Who, haw! gee
thar, general. Come here" and with 4
| flutter and founce the boat was soon
lost to view.