Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-08-02
THE CALIGRlI

sneakin' through the bushes, and
when he got close on ter the brute he
gev run and Jump and landed right
alongside its head and fetched it q
whack that yer could hev heard down
ter Galveston. But the gator he'd
moved, and 1t didn't even stun him
and the next minute we see that mig
ger flynn through the air as If he'd
been sent TO-. The gator had fetched
him a whack with his tail, and by the
time he landed 1t was on the spot
a-bangin' at him again. But Pete had
been thar befo', and when the old cuss
struck at him he just jumped up and
let the tail pass under him, and I'll
be logged If 1t didn't keep him NOV
i'm. But he kept up until the gator
see he wasn't a-gittin' ahead. 1t then
made a move for the bayou, and Pete
dropped on him and socked the peg
into him good. III YOU ever want ter
see sport, gentlemen, git some chap ter
go through that dance. It's fun. They
say alligators has been converted, but
don't put any dependence on lem.
You can't tell what they're up to. ~,
seen a six-fOoter chase man up a sa.SSs;
and watch for him like a hound, s.So
yet at times ye kin walk right up
to EN-"
subsequently, in talk with dealer
in leather, it was learned thst thou
sands of the skins captured.by the G. en-
eral and Others are shipped to the
North and Europe. "But the mar.
ket," said he, 'has been Overstock ed
with alligators, and the business has
fallen OIL considerably. For several
years there was grand rush for the
hides. Everything was made of alli-
gator, from shoes to furniture; and
even dados for rooms; but, like all
fashions, 1t has had its day. Curl
ously enough, the most money made
In the business was in the sale of imi-
tation alligator hide. 1t is made so
skillfully that only those who know
the real thing from experience can tell
II. The popularity of alligator hide is
that 1t is water-tight and creased in a
curious way. To make a perfect imi-
tatlon cast or impression is made of
the real thing and a stamp made from
that. Alligator goods still cost n great
deal, because 1t costs more to tan them
imam 1t does pig-skin and the cheaper
feathers, but for u while the profit on
the goods was enormous. have
bought skins by the dozen at 81 cents
apiece from l2-foot animals, tanned
them, and know of their being made
up into bag that sold for $75. The
bags now sell for all prices. / can have
you one made for 81. 900. I was in a
store the other day where they are get
ting upone now that will bring that.
II Is complete toilet set for gentle
man. The toilet bottles and boxes are
OF glass, solid gold mounted, and ivory.
Inc ivory boxes all have has relief
monographs on them, and the gold
covers have the name in gold. We
formerly deal 1t very extensively In alli
gator goods, but they are so common
now It hardly pays. The animal Is
pretty valuable all through. From
some kinds a musk is obtained. The
skeletons still sell to colleges and mu-
seums, especially If they are large, aud
the teeth are made up into necklaces,
pins, earrings and everything you can
think of m the way OF jewelry. and
they find a large sale at the simmer
resorts In the North, and Jacksonville
aud st. Augustine in the south.
feople always want to take away
something with them, no matter what