The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-11
A FANCIFUL TALE.
OF an Old Colored Man, a Child and
Hungry Alligator.
From the Philadelphia Times.

Hungry Alligator.
From the Philadelphia Times.
Martindale, La, Jan. 3l.-Uncle Billy
has lived with the Martins through three
generations, and is considered one of
them. His time is chiefly spent with the
Martin children, by whom he is greatly
beloved. 1t is his habit to take them for
an outing every day when the weather is
! favorable, and the little ones look for
| ward with keen delight to these jaunts
with this faithful old darkey. Yesterday
was no exception to Uncle Billy's rule,
although he was 10th to leave the kitchen,
| wherein was the savory odor Of turkey,
| pudding, cake and sauces, the feast in
| preparation being in honor of Uncle
| Billy's birthday.
! He had just turned 90, and US far back
| as he could remember his "old masters
| folks" had given him a birthday dinner.
| So the old man much preferred lowering
round the kitchen on this especial day,
but the children tugged at his coat until
he hadn't the heart to refuse, and warn
ing the cook not to let anything the tur-
| key, the old man was soon back in the
field hand in hand, with two little boys
while the third child, girl of 8, was left
sitting on the steps, the picture of woe,
because its mother did not want to bur
den the good-uatured old man with an
extra care.
Uncle Billy had been out with the boys
for probably two hours, and they were
walking slowly back home through the
field along the canal, when Uncle Billy's
keen eyes saw something good distance
ahead of them go over into the canal, fol-
lowed by child's scream. The old man
must have been as feet as deer TO have
reached the spot in the time that he did.
And that very second he saw his 'little
mistiss, - as he calls the tot of 3 years,
struggling in the water with an alligator
He had no weapon of defense, except a
small penknife, and no one was within
hearing except the two little boys And
action had to be taken at once. This he
knew, and knowing as well that he was
in for the tightest fight ever experienced
in the state, he plunged into the canal,
landing on the alligator's back.
The monster snapped its jaws at the
old man, and so doing lost its hold on the
child, which Uncle Billy managed to grasp
and hold out of its reach. Uncle Billy
sat astride of the alligator, as near to its
head as possible, to avoid being bitten,
with his knees pinioned against its side,
while both hands were employed in pro-
tecting the child. 1t was terrible strain
on the old mau's strength, but it was
that or death for them both. He sent
the two boys home for help, and in the
| meantime kept his seat bravely. Those
who have seen an angry alligator can APP
preciate Uncle Billy's situation better
than it can be described. In strength
they are powerful and when angered
something ferocious. This one was in a
perfect frenzy, which increased every
moment at his failure to devour Uncle
Billy.
The incessant swapping Of his jaws and
rapid turning and twisting from side to
side of his head in his efforts to reach the
old man was frightful in the extreme.
He dashed his tail so vigorously as to
nearly strangle both man and child with
the muddy water, which went up and
came down like heavy rain. He plunged
under the surface of the water, but the
exertiOns of Uncle Bill kept him up most
of the time. 1t may be well imagined
how slowly time dragged for the old man,
and how anXiouSly he waited for help
from a situation so perilous.
But he knew the boys had fully two
miles over the rough field to walk before
they could summon assistance, and that
| necessitated considerable endurance on
his part, which he felt already giving
away.
The canal is about ten feet deep, twelve
! feet wide and fully seveuty-fYe acres
| long. It's "bank" is high and steep, so
that to climb out is very difficult, al
though, but for the child, Uncle Billy
might have made the attempt, but with
the child it was preposterous to think of
| for an instant. For several minutes the
alligator plunged TO and fro, up and down
without going very far either way, but
! he grew tired of this and in the widest
| fit of rage tore like mad down the canal
| to its entire length, then turned and
| came back again at the same rate, thus
! giving Uncle Billya ride $50 acres long
in the space of only few minutes.
| The old man swerved many times from
| side to side and the blood chilled in his
| veins. But hard and fast he held on to
! the child and that much deeper pinioned
his knees in the monsters rits. Notwith-
| standing his strong will Uncle Billy felt
| himself growing weaker and, fearing his
| strength wouldn't last under so great a
strain until help arrived, he began some
! desperate thinking as TO what was best
| for him to do. The place had been cleared
| up years before and kept free from all I'M
| dergrowth, so there was not q tree or twig
of any kind which he might swing up by.
! 1t was time for rapid thought. and it
came to him suddenly that there was one
thing only to be done-throw the child
over the bank as far as he could and trust
to Its falling on soft place and then going
| it alone with the alligator.
But the monster did not keep quiet
cape. 1t plunged ON as desperately as
ever as though there was no limit to its
strength or bound to its fury. The old
man glanced around as well as he could,
but no one was in sight. He summoned
what strength he had, breathed prayer
for the child's safety, and then threw her
ashore, fully ten feet from the edge of the
| canal, Feeling relieved that she was
saved from the horrible death which had
threatened them both, he breathcd more
| easily, and once again put on his thinking
cap, which helped him almost immedi-
ately.
He drew out his little penknife and
plunged it in rapid succession in the
heshy part of the alligator's throat The
little blade was sharp and did good work.
The alligator snapped his jaws, plunged,
dived, dashed his tail, turned, twisted
and wiggled more than ever, but all the
time Uncle Billy used the knife right dex-
terously, and by the time the loss of blood
had its effect upon the alligator and Uncle
Billy saw it was about to sink, he made
for the bank and climbed up, how, he does
not himself know. He tottered q few
steps and fell, and when help arrived, the
old man was found lying on his back,