The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-06-23
"A GATOR"
Los Aneelea Expreas.

AOn 2Aukclcb pT0Sb.
 A family named Lambert, living on Lake Charlie Apopka, or Tsala lake, as it is called, report very thrilling ex- perience. The family is composed of MT. and Mrs. Lambert and three chiI- dren, two boys and 8 girl baby, the boys being eight and fifteen respec- lively, and the girl just able to toddle about. They moved there some two years ago and pre- empted homestead on the south side of the lake.
 The house is built about 200 feet from the lake and on slight elevation, the land in front sloping down grad ually to the waters edge. At the left, off some little distance, is an im- mense saw-grass pond. Near this MT. Lambert built an inclosure for his pigs, one side facing the lake, and up to month ago he had magnificent lot of porkers. One night several weeks ago he heard a tremendous up- roar in his hog pen, and, hurrying out with his shotgun and lantern, he was just in time to zee one of his fine hogs disappearing in the lake in the mouth of huge alligator, while the scores of balls of fire seen glittering in the darkness on the lake showed the pres ence of others.
 From that beginning their inroads were kept up with great regularity, and though he killed dozen or more, yet the pork was too nice for them to relihquish their feeding ground Late- ly they have grown so bold as to crawl into his yard in day time, and the predatory raids of these marauders on his hogs and fowls have rendered MT. Lambert's life burden.
 A recent adventure, however, of two members of his family with one of these dreadful creatures has so terri fled the farmer and has so alarmed the entire household that he is seriously contemplating abandoning his place. One Saturday afternoon, short time ago, Mrs. Lambert, who was in the back part of the house, was attracted by the screams of her little girl and frantic cries of "Mamma! Mamma w Hurrying to the front of the house, she could not at first locate the little ones whereabouts, but her piercing screams continued, and the almost frantic mother soon discovered the tlutter of her child's dress near the lake shore, the palmetto bushes nearly hiding her from view. Snatching up an ax from the woodpile, she flew. to the waters edge, and as she rounded the palmetto patch sight burst upon her that nearly drove her crazy. On the edge of the bank, with its body half in the water, was huge alliga- tor, it's forepaws outstretched, raising it from the ground, while its tail lashed the water into foam. Just in front of it, and clinging to palmetto loot with her tiny hands for dear life, was the little girl, her dress being held in the jaws of the alligator, who was slowly dragging the child. The alligator's dull eyes gleamed with anger, like red coals of fire, and when Mrs. Lambert appeared the monster uttered a hoarse below and started backward, tearing loose the child's slight hold.
 The latter's infantile features were drawn into an agonized appeal, and as the animal dragged her down she was too completely paralyzed with fear to even cry out. The peril of her baby banished all fear from Mrs. Lam- bert, and she rushed up and struck the saurian over the head with the ax, and seizing the child with both hands, tried to pull her away. The sharp blade cut into the alligator's eye, and, mad with pain, he opened his jaw and half sprang at the woman. This lett the child free, and they both fell back ward. Mrs. Lambert said afterward that at this moment she never ex- pected to save her life. As she fell the alligator swung around his tail with a terrible sounding whisk, but the fortunate fall of the two just placed them outside it's deadly sweep.
 The alligator advanced as far as it could with unwieldly waddle, and Mrs. Lambert attempted to escape. Her dress caught on a root, and be- fore she could get up and free herself the alligator made snap at her and missed, catching hold of her dress in- stead. Finding that it had secured something it commenced backing to. ward the water, dragging along the prostrate woman, who now fully real izcd her peril, and filled the air with her cries for help. She frantically clutched at the roots as she was dragged over them, but her dress was of stout material, and the alligator's strength soon overcame her feeble re- sistance.
 Suddenly, with heavy sinking of the heart, she felt that her foot was in the water, and that, if no help came, she was doomed to a terrible | death. The horror gave her strength for a moment, and she made another frantic effort to free herself, but it i