Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-02-28
4 DARKY'S BRAVERY.
He RescaeS a Child from The
Clutches Of an Alligator.
THE OLD MAN JUMPS INTO

a Canal ana LANDS Fa1fly Oh Cue
Monsters Back-The Gator IS
Surprised and Tries to Get Rid
of the Darky, But it is all the
Other Way, as Billy Gets Rid
of Him.
V.P. H. in Philadelphia Times.
MARTLNDALE, La, Jan. 30.-Un-
} Gle 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. It is his habit to take
them for an outing every day when
the weather is favorable, and the
little ones look forward with keen
delight to these jaunts with this
faithful old darky. 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 be-
ing in honor of Uncle Billy's birth
day.
He had just turned 80, and as
far back as he could remember his
sold masters folks" had given
him a birthday dinner. So the old
man much preferred being round,
the kitchen on this especial day;
but the children tugged at his coat
until he had't the heart to refuse,
and warming the cook not to let
anything happen to the turkey, the
old man was soon back in the field,
hand in hand with the two little
boys, while the third child, a girl
of 8, was left sitting on the steps,
the picture of woe, because its
mother did not want to burden the
geod-natured old man With this
extra care.
Uncle Billy had -hnnn..nllt- 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 60 over into the
canal, followed by child's scream.
The old man must have been as
fleet as a deer to have reached the
epot in the time that he did. And
that every second he saw his "little
mistiss," as he called the totof 3
years, struggling in the water with
all alligator He had no weapon of
defense, except a small penknife,
and no one was within hearing ex-
cept the two little boys! And ac-
ton had to be taken at once. This
he knew, and knowing as we'll that
he was in for the tightest fight ever
experienced in the State. he plum
ged into the canal, landing on the
alligator's back.
The monster snapped its jaws at
the old man, and in SO doing lost
its hold on the child, which Uncle
Billy managed to grasp and held
out of It's reach. Uncle Billy sat
astride of the alligator, as near to
it's head as possible to avoid being
bitten, with his knees pinioned
against it's side, while both hands
were employed in protecting the
child. 1t vas a terrible strain on
the old mans 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 an
cry alligator can appreciate Uncle
Bills situation better than it can
be described. In strength they are
powerful, and when angered some
thing ferocioua. This one was in
a perfect frenzy, which increased
every moment at his failure to de-
your Uncle Billy.
The incessant swapping of his
Jaws and rapid turning and twis-
ting from side to side of his head
in his efforts to reach the old man
were frigtful in the extreme. He
lashed bis tail so vigorously as to
nearly strangle both man and child
with mudd, water, which went up
. and came down like heavy rain.
He plunged under the surface of
the water, but the exertion of Uncle
Billy kept hin up most of the time.
! 1t may be well imagined how slow
ly time dragged for the old man,