Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-04-16
senator Camden. Adventure.

Senator Camden of West Virginia has
Just returned from brief sojourn in
Florida, whittier he went to seek relief
from senatorial over-wOrk. He is
ehockfull of stories about the adven-
lures he had in the land of orange bios
SONS. zone day." he said, 81 went
out hunting alone. OF course, l'm not
the man to brag abouI my skill as a huI-
ter, but, between you and me, I'm no
SLOUGH with a gun. After killing few
deer, one or two bears, thirty or forty
SQUIRRELS and dozen or so wild tur-
keys, l concluded to return to the hotel.
1t was still early, but was tired pack
ing round my load of game. was
going along the bank of a creek, and
coming across friendly log thought
| would sit down and rest. laid my
rifle and game down by the log and took
a seat. | had lunch of cold chicken
in my haversack. had breakfasted at
duyligh, and was pretty hungry. So |
took out the chicken and began TO eat.
When | had finished my repast | took
the pocket-xnife had been using to cut
the chicken and drove the blade into the
log. intending 10 let it rest there until l
could get ont my pocket handkerchief
and wipe my hands. But, great Scott
You ought to have seen that log! 1t
was the most sensitive log | ever saw.
When | drove my knife into it, quicker
than lightning it bumped itself like
bucking mule aud gave me Il flap with
its little end that sent me SPRAYING
thirty feet away. Blame my buttons if
that log WASN'T Florida alligator -
feet long, with tail like cross-cut
saw and teeth as sharp and long as tusks
of boar.
"When | scrambled to my feet and
looked at the log-I mean the alliga-
tor-there it was standing rampant on
its feet, with eyes glaring and its teeth
grinding savagcly together. | dared
not run, for | was told never 10 run
from an alligator, as he would be sure
TO pursue and overtake me. So i stood
transfxed to the spot. What did the
alligator do? Keeping his gaze fixed
steadily upon me, he deliberately
backed to where my pile of game lay
and pitched in. First he ate up the
bears, then the deer. Smacking his
chops like a regulation boarding house
hash enter, he then turned on the squir-
rels and wild turkey and when he got
through there wasn't hair or feather
to be seen. III undertake to say that
no alligator ever before had such arare
banquet. How the alligator held all
that feed | don't understand, but he
did. When he got through there was
not thing left but my rifle, and he
nosed around that for several seconds
as if he intended to eat it, too, but he
didn't. What did he do then? Well,
sir, that alligator deliberately turned
his tail to The bank, and, keeping his
eye on me, backed to the edge. Then,
with snort and below, he plunged
tail foremost into the water. l got my
rifle in the fraction Of a second, rushed
20 the edge and looked down. | was
painting for revenge, but | couldn't see
anything but succession of waves inn
polling each other toward the other
shore. The alligator was at the bottom
of the stream. | stayed there an hour
watching for him. but he was too sharp
to come to the surface. bet you he's
got that knife of mine sticking In his
back yet, for drove it In pretty deep.
Y on see, the alligator was sound asleep
when was sitting on him, but sticking
the knife in him woke him up."-Cor-
respondence Baltimore Herald.