Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-06-11
JOBS LUCK.


controlling the lower animals. The process
called tanning" they particularly delight in.
The farther the animal is removed from do
mesticity, the greater the pleasure in susdu-
ing il. Not often, however, does a man
choose an alligator for a companion, as did a
journalist in New Orleans several years ago.
This man was an unusual sort Of person,
with Streaks Of something like genius in his
composition. A natural musician, he could
wiring melody out Of any instrument, from a
| ,ewsharp t. violin, and carved wood with
a skill and taste that wcuid have male him
fame and fortune if he lad been ambitious,
\ which he was not. Besides, he was really
/ learned, though cynical, satirical and tired
Of people.
\ He lived alone in two oddly furnished little
rooms on the ground floor Of one of the old
houses in the oldest part of the city, his only
intimate associate being a saucy parrot and
the alligator which is the hero Of this story.
A latticed gate opened on a little porch en-
tirely his own. There on pleasant after
moons Burgess Tyler sat smoking his pipe,
with the parrot ON his shoulder and the alli-
gator hanging limp and apparently hfeless
over his knees, his ha;;d resting on its hideous
rough back caressingly.
As Mr. Tyler was as ungenial and taciturn
with most persons as was his alligator, | re-
garded his pretended affection for that un-
handsome pet as one of his original ways Of
expressing contempt for human beings.
Later on / discovered a still more curious
reason for his preference.
He had brought the creature home with
him when he returned from one OF his fire.
quent fishing expeditions 10 the gulf when il
was a mere baby-a dingy, unSightly little
reptile, mostly mouth, and with no pleasing
ways whatever. With his own hands he
built house for il in his front yard-a long,
walled canal, with a heap % sand and rocks
al one end, so arranged that the beloved
reptile could 20 from the canal TO dry land
At its own sweet will Around this curious
,lace he planted broad leaved water plants
and MOSES, until il locked like patch Of the
,ismal swamp.
Here the alligator began its domesticated
existence; and if ever an amphibious beast
had every advantage in the way Of civiliza-
ton this one had. Its training was a work
into which his owner seemed to put his soul.
To the disinterested observer this repre-
sentative Of tire saurian family made no
progress worth mentioning, save in the
direction Of inocuousness, though its infatu-
ated master frequently asserted that Job"
~ he called the creature, had mo end Of
sensen-in fact, ''had head ON him that
would excite the envy of Bismarck
So far as an outsider could Judge. Jobs
Intellectual achievements did not go beyond
mere inoffensiveneSs. He hung over his
owners knee, stretched himself out ON the
rush doorrhat and made himself at home in
his rooms, without displaying any vici9;S uess
Of temper or injudicious selection of food.
And Job crew. Oh, how he did grow. He
got so large that when his adorer took him
out with him, slung over his shoulder, his
tail almost dragged on the ground.
A curious sight was this pair perambu-
latIng the streets of the quaint old city, and
many an astonished stranger turned TO look
after them.
One evening passed Mr.. Tyler's house and
saw him and his two friends in close commu-
MON, as usual. Desdemona, the parrot, was
in a swinging hoop in front OF him, taking
lessons in Shakespearian texts which he re-
peated over and over again, the book from
which he taught lying on his lap The alli-
gator was living over his feet, an innocent
spectator of Desdemona's elocutiorary skill.
''Mr Tyler, what are you going to Go
with JobY1 l asked ''You can't possibly in
tend to harbor that monster all your lifep
'Do with Jobi-deep old Jobl' said he in an
injured tone, reaching down TO pat the horny
back Of his amphibious pet "You neither
appreciate nor understand job; but ! haven't
raised and educated him for nothing. Be
sides being the most devoted friend in the
world. he is the wisest Ill tell you one
thing I'm going 70 do with him. dropping
his voice to confidential and confident key,
III intend he shall make my fortune, and that
pretty soon.n
Naturally looked incredulous.
"oh, YES, Job is going to be the means of
raising me in the world financially. I've
educated him for that purpose"
In what professionr i inquired, with
mock seriousness. "You know, brother
Tyler, have heard you brag good deal
about Jobs accomplishments; but as / have
never seen him do anything more remarkable
than sleep on your feet or hang down your
back like a wet blanket, you must pardon
me for doubling that he is genius
s'You don't know him, that's all, y continued
the infatuated man. IF you did you would
believe in him. / have marked out a career
for Job. Haven't /. old fellowr Here he
administered a fattering and afectionate
pat on the beasts scaly hide, the only re-
sponse from the amphibious genius being
slv and rather knowing look out of his queer
little ewes, which Immediately closed again,
as though there was absolutely nothing in
the world worth looking at. Undoubtedly
the alligator and his friend understood each
other, and the parrot sanctioned the under
standing. She swung softly to and fro over
head, winking ia the most significant way,
and occasionally repeating in jerky syllables
this scriptr.ral text: How long will We vex
my soul and break me in pieces with wordsP
Heretofore continued the happy owner
Of the two talented pets, Job has led a
thoughtful and meditative, rather than active,
life; hut the time has arrived for him to take
Lis place in the world-the place that his
genius entities him to. He joins the madding
crowd-begins business tomorrow. HIS
sensitive soul shrinks from contact with
vulgar human beings; but he has great
strength of character He will not be spoiled
by it, II it were possible" he added, with .
sigh that was actually seriously intended, Il
would spare him this ordeal-permit him to
continue the studious life best suited TO h1s