The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-05-24
AN INTELLIGENT ALLIoAToR.

AN INTELLIGENT ALLIGATOR.
DevourIng Ten Little Darkies. II
Removes All the Evidence OF It's
Crime.
The alligator, when mere baby
saurian, was pulled by IL savage dog
from sinltllole in the swamp, rescued
BY IL darkcy and takcn home to the
cabin as u playfcllow for the pickan-
innics. The little darsics took kindly
to the young reptile. and after it had
recovered from the first disposition to
nip hungrily at small blaclt legs and
arms, it became one of Che greatest
pets possible. waddiing about tho
cabin and yard in vain pursuit of the
chickens and ridden, as soon as it was
big enough. by two naked youngsters
at time. The wife of the darltey who
owned the cabin was one of thc class Of
colored ladies with Il heart full OF good
will toward the census man and there
was no less than eleven of the little
fifteenth amendments, us nearly of the
same age as possible in the natural
order Of things, several pairs OF twins
making the age of the youngsters more
closely approximate. They were IL
jolly brood, these eleven little darkies
and tho young alligator, basking in
the sun. rolling about in the mud, and
playing high jinks generally. Months
passed by, the proprietor of the cabin
laid in abundant meal for the hoe
cake, and from tho lcn-roosts anA
smOkc-houses in the region pro-
vidcd all tho ,lan,ics of the
modest lardcr hbundantly. the pick
aninnics waxing sleek and fat, aud
their playmate, the alligator, attaining
length and breadth at II tremendous
rate. The alligator, however. grew
much fastor than the little larkics, and
after time familiaritics with the in-
tclligent reptile became less frequent.
The family cat was not to be found one
day, and subsequently the family dog
also disappeared, while, though Wild
cats from the swamps were supposed
to have been the invaders, one Of the lit
darkies had occasion to remark, after
each disappearance Of domestic an
imal: "'Pcars like dat ar a'gtor looks
nifty brite bout dc eyes and smilin'
round dc mouf tcrday, somehow"
Dogs and cats can be replaced, and
the old father of the family paid little
attention to tho disappearance until
one night at loccakc time only ten lit
tie darkies put in an appearance.
"Whah's yer brudder' Whah's Wen
dell Phillips Henry Wattcrson SNIFF"
demanded tho alarmed parent anxious
~. "Dunno; he was po!sin' sticks at
the gator last we seed him." "pipcl the
pickaninnics in chorus. Mcbbe d.
gators gobbcd i'm, "anu the old darky
dashed out of doors, drove the reptile
into the yard with IL rail. prcd his
mouth open with the same instrument,
and examined the two rows of sharp
teeth for wool. There was no wool
there. abe chile's drowned in the
slough for s;trtn," mourncd the father,
and so accepted the burden, though IL
search OF the slough revealed moth
ing.
A few days later another little darky
went There was the same search OF
the alligator's teeth and of the slough,
but tho mystery WAS not solved, and
i the old darky and HIS wife began to turn
gray. Then, of the nine little darkies
left, one after another won't rapidly.
The hearts of the old darky and his
wife were nearly broken, and they
went about listlessly. humming no
longer the cheerful old plantation airs.
but grooming only tho familiar but mel
ancholy song Of the race beginning
"l'se IL mournin'.' One evening the
darky and his wife were sitting watch
ing the antics OF the remaining child
and rejecting upon the mysterious fate
OF the ten who had disappeared. when
the youngstcr ran around tho house for
something. The sound OF Il brief
scuffic immediately after led tee father
and mother upon tho scene. The child
was gone! The water of the slough
showed no ripple. Tho negro dartcd
around to the back of ah old cypr0s
stump in the search, aud there in Il
moment, the whole sad mystery was
solved. Propped up, with It's back
against the stump in order to give free
dom of its legs, sat the alligator. clutch
ing between his fore claws rusty
tablc-fOrk with but IL single tine and
picking its teeth hastily The despcr-
ate darky seized an ax and after fierce
struggle slew the monster. Between
the alligators teeth were tufts of kinky
wool which it had no time 10 remove,
and an unscicntific but thorough dis
section with an AK made 1t clearly evil
dent where the last of the eleven littlo
darkies had gone. The alligator had
dcvOured all the brood, but the intelli-
gcncc of the animal was such that il
had in each case after eating up n pick
aninny promptly removed all tho owl
deuce Of its crime by picking its teeth.
Atlanta journal.
An Experience With a Railroad
Robber.
"Lct me relate to you some of my