Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-08-08
AN ALLicAToR's PREY.
A Baby Girl Falls Into the ssurIap's Tank,
but IL Gallsntly Rescued.


During the performance in a variety
hall in Vienna the other day, says
Parsons Weekly. panic was caused
by an occurrence which mad the effect
OF unstringing the nerves of a large
portion of the audience.
In front of the stage was tank 10
which was floating an enormous ALI.
gator. The tank was carefully rallied
TO prevent any overcurious spectator
from falling forward and making a
meal for the Notwithstanding mon.
ster. and also TO prevent the latter
from undertaking an expedition among
the members OF the audience.
The programs contained an an.
nouncement that the alligator would
perform later on. and in the mean.
time troup OF trained monkeys was
amusing the audience with their en-
tertaining antics and clever tricks.
In the midst OF this diversion little
girl. as pretty as a picture, and fault
lessly attired. who was among the Oc-
cupauts of one Of the stage boxes that
literally oyerhung the tank. in her APP
parent curiosity TO watch the hideous
saurian. tumbled forward, and before
her agonzed mother could put forth
her hand to save her. had fallen with
In the railing aud was clinging to the
edge of the tank. with her little feet
dangling In the water.
There was simultaneous shrek
from about 1000 throats. as the
spectators saw what had occurred, and
dozen frenzied men tried to extricato
themselves from their seats and rush
to the rescue of the hapless little victim.
Before anything could be done. how
ever. the monster had observed tn G
treat which was in store for him, aud
swimming for the place where the
child hung opened its terrible mouth.
With one shrek of anguish the little
one disappeared into the terrible jaws
of the reptile. which swan lazily off to
the other side of the tank.
As the men who had rushed forward
from among the audience paused at
the edge Of the tank, not knowing
what to do a man clad in an oilskin
suit brushed his way past them on his
way down from the gallery.
The man. who was Hercules in
build, leaped nlmbly over the rail. aud
drawing long-bladed knife from a
sheath dangling at his side, stood up TO
ms waist in water, and prepared to
face the terrible monster, which now
turned upon him as il aware of his in
tentions.
Every one seemed paralyzed as the
bystanders watched the strange COM
bat between the man in the oilskin and
the ferocious saurian. The man was
on the alert. aud stood ready with his
knife as the enormous amphibian made
lunge at him. Quick as lightning
the man sank beneath the waters OF
the tank as his terrible adversary
rushed upon him. and before he rose
to the surface the tank was died vivid
scarlet-whether from the life blood of
the man. or the alligator. was not APP
parent till the hero appeared on the
surface aud waved his hand aloft to
show that he was all right.
A tremendous cheer burst from the
audience. The alligator had evident
" got the worst OF the fight so far. as
he came forward sluggishly enough
agile foe, which caused him to turn on
his back and float aimlessly upon the
surface.
Round after round of applause greet
ed the fearless foe in the oilskin, but
his program was not completed vet.
Selling the trunk of his dead opponent
with one hand he began to carve up
his helpless foe. The interior of the
monster was soon revealed by cutting
away large portion of the scaly body,
and the intention of the brave fellow
became evident. He was going TO re-
cover what remained of the poor victi IN
whose untimely death had been avenged
by his bravery.
spell-bound audience as the rigid little
form, bearing no marks OF having been
bitten, bu. very quiet. was drawn out
from the alligator's interior. A mo.
ment later the childish corpse lost its
rigidity. and. with cry of JOY, the In
nocent started up in the arms of her
preserver clappcd her hands over her
head, and shouted In n very lifelike
manner.
The lady in the box. just recovered
from her faint. came forward and took
her darling from the arms of her burly
rescuer; the man in the overalls bowed
to the audience in reply to their cease
less applause. and then two or three
dozen people rushed forward and, TAX
ing of rings and watches. forced them
upon the heroic fellow. while coins
fell around him 10 a positive rain.
1t was not till the tank had been
taken away, and the man in the over
alls. now clad in faultless evening
suit had bowed 10 the audience once
more. that the people recognized the
fact that the alligator act had been per-
formed. and that the ferocious-looking
saurian was only a clever imitation in
papier mache with mechanical effects.
The disconsolate mother and the
child whom the alligator had gobbled
up sat and smiled through the rest OF
the performance. and those who had
been so spontaneously generous felt as
II their smiles were tinged with a
slight amount OF ridicule.