Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-11-03
A TIPPLlNG TOAD.
He Took a Fancy to Cocktails, and Playe
Sick to Get Them.


Sick to Get Them.
Sandy Mojave is dead. Many persont
were not acquainted with Sandy in his
lifetime, but not a few Palace hote!
guests mourn his loss. as we'll as Master
George Neal, his owner, for Sandy was
undoubtedly one of the best-trained
horned toads in America He departed
this life the other morning, and posi-
bly, is now reveling in the delights at
forded in the horned-toad heaven, ii
there is such place.
A few months since Master George
was the recipient of the funny little
reptile and at once proceeded to train
his new pet From the first 1t exhibited
a remarkable degree of intelligence and
attained considerable proficiency in per-
forming feats that many animals occu-
plying a much higher scale in the ami
NAL kingdom would not be expected tc
attempt. The lizard was caught on the
hot sandy Mojave desert and was
named accordingly. Sandy had all the
privileges afforded in the apartments
the carpeted floor or climbing up
the lace window curtains, and in two
or three days had his bearings.
w AOh NV OSAAAS PoO OAAAOhSA AAAS
tricks the horned toad liked nothing
better than to lie on the window sill in
the sun until some silly fly alighted
near him to be gobbled 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 a little wag-
on around the room and climb small
ladder at command.
One day Sandy disappeared, and after
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 apparent effect on him a
few drops of brandy were administered
from a teaspoon, and he was then re-
placed in the sun. For five minutes he
lay with closed eyes, aid was about to
be subjected to another dose when his
eyelids suddenly opened. and the little
pet glared around him with evident
ferocity. Suddenly he made q flying
leap to the floor and scurried around
the room with such rapidity that the
ladies scarcely had time to seek places
of refuge on chairs. Sandy had the
uOOr I'LL TO nlnSelI, ana Cnc anC1cS ne
cut were not believed to belong to the
category of acrobatic feats usually in
dulged in by horned toads, for he stood
on his head and danced stiff legged
waltzes about the room to the edifca-
ton of his somewhat frightened on
lockers.
After the performance Sandy lapsed
again into lethargic state, and in the
morning he acted SO stupidity that it
was evident he was suffering from an
enlarged head. To restore him to his
normal condition tiny cocktail com
posed of about ten drops of whisky
lemon juice, water and bitters was
given to the patient
The horned toad picked up wonder
fully under the treatment and INDUCED
in hearty breakfast of flies. But that
was not the end of Sandy's bibulous
habits, for every morning thereafter,
he played 'possum" in order to get his
regular morning cocktail, until he
could have been classed as u steady
| drinl1cr. His convivial habits short
ened his days, for the taxidermist, who
performed an autopsy on Sandy ycster
day declares that death was due to
| chronic alcoholism. Sandy is still il
the taXidermist's hands, but the richly
marked gold and brown reptile will
soon ornament his owners room in a
| glass case.-San Francisco Chronicle.