Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-07-13
Mashin9tuu Stauaard
An Ingenious Rogue.

An ingenious Rogue.
In the winter of 1854 there were
heavy rains in Calcasieu Parish, Lou
isiana. The rice country about Jen-
ning's Station, on the Louisiana West
ern Railway was repeatedly flooded.
This place at that time consisted OF a
store, a section house, Il hotel and
depot. About mile north of it was
small settlement of Acadians.
One morning in December Of that
winter, when Alexander Davis McEr-
land, the storekeeper, came to his front
door, he discovered that the surround
ing country had been turned into
lake by the pour-down of the night.
Shortly afterward he learned several
other things of great importance to
him. His store had been entered, the
now safe blown open, and over two
hundred dollars in bills stolen. A
young man named James Smith
whom he had taken in off the tramp"
to give private lessons to his young
son and daughter, and who had fallen
in love with the kitchen maid-did not
make his appearance, and, on search
being made, could not be found. To
complete the mystery, Jew peddler,
who had come strolling along the
track that morning, from the East,
and sold him half dozen white shirts,
returned ten dollar bill as soon as he
received it, saying it was counterfeit.
All this was enough to make any
man feel angry; it proved more than
enough to make Andrew perfectly
wild. He was not remarkable for pa
!. tience in temper, and was renowned
as fighting man; he was, in fact, the
"boss" fighter Of the district.
In few hours the water had sub.
sided from the level grounds, but wide
ponds remained till next night.
About twenty people were collected
in front of the store in the afternoon,
talking excitedly over these interesting
matters, and individually and collec.
lively watching the Jew, who had not
been permitted to leave, when little
Louis Foster screamed thrillingly as he
pointed with both hands at the pond
ON the other side of the track from
them,-
AN alligator! An alligator!"
Now this would not have been sur
prising ejaculation in n hundred other
Louisianian villages, but it was SO in
this one, for how could an alligator get
there, where there was neither creek
nor swamp! "The pretty little vii
lain," as Louis had been dubbed, had,
however, told the truth. An alligator
not less than ten feet long was basking
in the sun on the bank Of the pond,
waving his tail slowly, uncannily, and
glaring out Of his cold, wicked, fishy
eyes, apparently at LeviSchustmann,
the Jew.
"A gator! gator"
Let's go for him!"
oedad' an lux a. the ironclad iiz-
ara =
Eet ees one crocodeie!
such were the e)acuiations as all
bounded toward the pond, some draw
ing revolvers. others picking up rocks.
McEriand w&s nrst there, but ne was
too hate. Reiore he got within shoot
Ing distance the saurian had sunk be-
low the surface. And then came an
other mystery. They shot into the
water, threw in rocks, prodded with
long poles, and dragged with : seine
without touching the animal.
The Acadians, who were very super
stitious, soon left the pond, pale and
silent. McErland was the last to conn
away. he was black with rage.
Nothing else was talked OF that even
ing oos TINS string OF mysteries AM
many were the wild theories advances
IN explanatlon.
Late that night small human f'e
ure 'l'''ed acou' IN the darkness nea
the pono. All osners nad retired :
resi- except McEfiand' VINO was IN
brown STUDY before ms kitchen nre.
Ilesent'y long oark nose va
pokeo OUT o. the wafer. Inc numa
nsufe ieal MAI on tns efouno. linen
stl%neo nens s'lesuleo wi'diy rom :"
eyes snas iohowed the snout nom vi
ger we Wasef.
Slowly carefully the allgatf
craw'ed onto dry land and lay dow
- tnougn weary. Inc steaitny hit
man raised an arm, and pointed SOM
tnan9 - y. Inere was nash, lou
report ana the ampnioious anlm'
Ieaped INTO sne water and sank.
The man sprang TO the edge OF t.
water. with hollow cry the terr'D
Asaro rasseo IL head and neck out
me water = MS feet. ana snapped y
n1eotlul JeWs W1tnin IN men OF q