The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-02
TEE FALL OF A HORNED TOAD.
The Use of Brandy as Medicine Created
an Appetite He Couldn't Control
E..nnl The Sn.t Ernncasno c,L..a....L-

The Use of Brandy as Medicine Created
an Appetite He Couldn't Control
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sandy Mojave is dead. Many persons
were not acquainted with Sandy in his life
time, but not a few Palace hotel quests
mourn his loss, as well as Master George
Neal. his owner, for Sandy was undoubt-
eddy one of the best trained horned toads in
America. He departed this life the other
morning, and possibly is now reve cling in
the delights afforded In the horned toad
heaven, if there is such a place.
A few months since Master George was
the recipient Of the funny little reptile and
at once proceeded 10 train his new pet.
From the first it exhibited a remarkable
degree of intelligence and attained consid-
cradle proficiency in performing feats that
many animals occupying a much higher
scale in the animal kingdom would not be
expected to attempt. The lizard was
caught on the hot, sandy Mojave desert,
and was named accordingly. Sandy had
all the privileges afforded in the apart
ments or his master, crawling over the car
peted floor or climbing up the lace cur
tains. and in two or three days had his
bearings
When not being put through his tricks
the horned toad liked nothing better than
some silly fly alighted near him to be COB
bled up. Later he would run to his trainer
at his call, and would eat crippled flies from
his hands, but he would take them from no
one else. He would also haul little wagon
around the room aud climb small ladder
at command.
One day Sandy disappeared, and after a
careful search he was given up for lost or
dead. But two weeks later he appeared
again, TO the great surprise of all. The
horned toad was cold and stiff. He was
placed in the sun, but as this had no ap-
parent effect on him a few drops of brandy
were administered from teaspoon, and he
was then replaced in the sun. For five
minutes he lay with closed eyes, and
was about to be subjected to am
other dose, when his eyelids suddenly
opened and the little pet glared around
him with evident ferocity. Sud-
denly he made flying leap to the floor and
scurried around the room with such
rapidty that the ladies scarcely had time to
seek places Of refuge on chairs. Sandy had
the floor all to himself, and the antics he
cut we're not believed to belong to the cate
CORY of acrobetic feats usually INDUCED ia
by horned toads, for he stood on his head
and danced stiff-legged waltzes about tina
room to the edification of his frightened
onookers.
After the performance Sandy lapsed again
luIo tuhTRlc sthte, ana IN the morning
he acted so stupidity that it was evident he
was suffering from an enlarged head no
restore him TO his normal condition a tiny
cocktail composed of about ten drops OF
whisky, lemon juice, water and bitters was
given him.
The horned toad picked up wonderfully
under the treatment aud INDUCED in q
hearty breakfast of flies. But that was not
the end OF Sandy's bibulous habits, for every
manning flnFpaftnT ha ~ Yala al
order to get his regular morning cocktail.
until be could have been Chased as a steady
drinker. His convivial habits shortened his
days, for the taxidermist who performed an
autopsy on Sandy yesterday declares that
death was due 10 chronic alcoholism.