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

the responsibilities of life. Desdemona must
keep within her sphere. She is the only lady
in our family, and Job and / viii try and
/ provide for her.
What business is job TO engage inl' IL.
I quired
! The lottery business, thank you. He VIII
choose the tickets which draw. | viii buy
them, and, 'prestoi change we are rich We
will sleep on pillows stuffed with eagles feath-
ers, dine off silver dollars and papsr our
walls with greenbacks.n Then my eccentric
/ friend proceeded TO explain the method by
which the alligator's mind had been de-
veloped for this peculiar work. Every day
I for weeks and months, he assured me- bits of
/ pasteboard containing numbers had been
\ spread before the gifted reptile, and he had
made his choice, and never once had he in
dicated one that did not Gerry with it a
/ prize, the system i'm the make-believe lottery
being the same as in the genuine What in
stinct guided him in choosing Mr.. Tyler
didn't pretend 10 know; but that he was
I gifted with superhuman foresight in the
matter of lottery tickets he firmly believed.
Jobs experiences on the day he began
business in the realistic world were interest
\ ing, as | afterward learned. In fine spirits
his owner set out with him early in the fore
arms like baby, his head lying on his mas
ter's shoulder his eyes shut, his body limp
and heavy, his tail hanging straight down
like stick, and upon his unhandsome face
an expression of profound melancholy.
I They made straight for the most popular
ticket shops. At the first one they entered
the youth who sold tickets was quite taken
off his feet when he was asked TO spread the
tickets on the counter i'm a solid sheet that
/, the alligator might look them over and take
his pick He complied with the unusual
request, and then stood off at a slight dis
tance and watched the proceedings with
great interest. Jobs whole length was
stretched upon the counter, while Mr.. Tyler
stood by and pointed at each ticket in turn,
expecting the alligator to make s""ne com
mandatory motion when he touched a prize
ticket. This had been the method of opera
tion pursued lt home, and Mr.. Tyler con-
fidently built upon his beloved reptile sus-
tanning the reputation for sagacity which he
had given him. But Job was in anything
but an obliging mood. His small eyes
burned like Goals, and though he evidently
saw every card and every movement of his
owners finger he couldn't be induced to so
much as wiggle his tail. II, wouldn't even
wink. Not the slightest expression of ap-
probation could be wrung for him. He was
inexorably motionless. His chagrined owner
went over the tickets again and again, hop
ing to win some sign from his brilliant protege.
but in vain.
At last somewhat less confident but still
hopeful, he shouldered Job and started for
another shop. There the same mortifying
experience was his The alligator either
! could not or would not make a selection.
Nothing could induce him to move so much
as a wrinkle His fond master was loyal
and loving through it all, though his disap-
pointment was deep and bitter.
This is jobs first day as a speculator,
and il is no wonder he is timid and un-
natural When he gets used to being among
people he viii be himself again. He is of
reflective disposition, and not at ali genial at
first, said poor Tyler, alphabetically, as he
shouldered his friend at the second shop and
passed out.
Over and over again the same dishearten-
ing programme was enacted, until at last
even the hopeful Tyler became dispirited,
and started home with the recreant Job On
his back He was very tired, very much
discouraged the way was long and the alli-
gator very heavy. Ashe was passing through
a dirty street in the outskirts Of the city, he
began to look around for some place TO rest.
Every shop looked very dingy and dirty, and
this, together with his depression of mind,
quite took the courage ont Of him
Suddenly his eyes lighted up with interest.
In the window of a dreary old shop, where
everything, from old clothes TO antique jewels,
was on sale, he saw lottery tickets The
temptation to give job one more trial was
too strong TO be resisted His courage re-
vived at the thought Of it. His faith in the
alligator's clairvoyaDce was so fixed and had
been of such long duration that one day Of
defeat was not enough to extinguish il. He
went in, ordered the tickets spread out, aud
very tenderly placed his pet ON the counter
overlooking the field, and began to poIrt at
painful In the anxiety il revealed.
All at once Job seemed to wake Up. He
opened and shut his eyes several Lines in
succession, moved his head from side to side
and wiggled his cumbrous tail His master
was i'm fever of excitement Immediately
Could it be possible that Jobs uneasiness aad
any significancei Did he really approve Of a
certain numberi Ii looked as though he did,
since he relapsed into state Of immobility,
bordering on petrifaction, whenever Mr..
Tyler lifted his finger from one particular
ticket, and whenever that ticket was touched
be fairly founced himself off the counter.
The ticket was purchased, and the curious
but compatible couple started home, the
mans face a radiant as star, and the alli-
gators as settled as a cemetery.
II is very curious how rested and refreshed
the body viii feel after a depression on the
mind has been dissipated Mr.. Tyler walked
home on air. Job didn't seem to weigh more
than doll And how garrulous the man
was. He talked TO job exactly as though
the creature was conversational of great
brilliance and deep sympathies He had al
ways affected to believe that the alligator
was the superior Of the majority of human
beings in sense and shrewdness, and now he
considered his opinion confirmed and wanted
job to know that he appreciated him Again
and again his mind reverted to the ticket in
his pocket, and his imagination unfolded the
pleasures and comforts to which it would
open the doors All this was told to Job