Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-09-24

AL tue Sl. LOUIS hepuDllC.
About daylight Farmer Perdu was
aroused from sound slumber by the
barking of dogs, the neighing OF horses,
the braying of mules. and the believing
of cattle. He opened his front door
and saw alligators ranging in size from
the gigantic saurian to the playful lit
tie reptile not more than foot long
disporting themselves about his yard.
There were two or three big bull alli
gators on the porch, only few PAGES
form the farmers bare feet. The
hounds had chased some of the alliga-
tors into fence corners, and whole
droves of aligators were prancng
along the walks and chasing each 9TH
er under the rose bushes
Mr.. Perdu rubbed his eyes, and after
taking a second look he shouted for
his wife and his Winchester.
This is what had happened. Not a
drop of rain has fallen in this section
OF country for more than two months,
and in consequence of this fact nearly
all creeks, ponds, and hayous are as
politician from whom his friends had
to hide the coal Oil can. Alligators can
live long time on dry land and wher
the lake or bayou in which they live
has dried up they will lie around in
the hot mud or sand for few days,
looking very disconsolate. After awhile
they will give it up and strike straight
across the country toward the nearest
lake or river. They generally travel
at night. Led by an old bull, they will
| march straight to the nearest water,
as il they had been over the road a
| hundred times before
| Courtneys lake is the ravorite
haunt Of hundreds of alligators, and
never but once before within the mem
DRY Of the oldest Texan was it entirely
dry until few weeks ago. A dozen or
more young folks went down there last
Monday on fishing expedition and
they were surprised to find that the bed
OF the famous lake afforded first-rate
place for playing baseball, or running
races on bicycles, and that it was not
much Of a place for fish.
These young people scared the alli-
gators off into the woods, and on that
very night the whole army of saurians
concluded to emigrate to the BrazoS
river, some II miles away. They march
ed out of the bottom and truck the prai
rie not far from the old San Antonio
road. Here they found an insurmount
able obstacle in the shape of hog
proof barbed wire fence.
They followed the line of fence fol-
three miles, until they came to Tarmel
Perdus gate. This gate is kept CLOSED
by heavy weight attached to a chain
The alligators were evidently trying tt
get through the wire fence at ever,
step, and when the big bull that lie,
the army put his nose against the gat
and found that it readily yielded, h
was no doubt highly pleased. He crep
into Mr.. Perdu's yard, and the nose O
the next gator behind him kept tn
gate from closing In this way tn
, whole lot, of more than 100 alligators
soon found themselves inside the yart
The yard is not large, and the alliga
tors were not long in discovering tina
t while it had been an easy matter t
get into the Enclosure, getting out wa
altogether another thing.
The dogs were not long in scentin
the saurians, and they went to barkin
in way that Farmer Perdu had neve
heard before. The horses, hogs. an
cattle in the adjacent lots acted =
though they were much frightene,
All Of this commotion aroused MI. PEI
\ du, and he says that when he opene
his door and saw the yard full
strange looking monsters he exper
enced feeling of horror no words ca
describe. Although he has been Twin
in Texas for 10 years, he has never b.
fore seen an alligator.
He said: Il had no idea what II
awful looking creatures were | ru1
, bed my eyes and looked at them ar
. wondered if were not dreaming"
!. One of the big monsters on the pore
: opened its mouth and snapped its jaw
= close to Mr.. Perdu's feet Mr. Pert
q has some five boys. who are fond
u fishing. Their experience made the
/. NISeT tHfH tutil ldlucl, III III dl III
t tory at least. Aroused by the groal
y of the old man and his wild shouts f
y his Winchester, the boys rushed to Il
Is windows, and instantly recognized Il
= faces of their old enemies. who had c
= ten kept them from swimming in u
II cool waters of Courtney's lake.
e They got their guns and went bold
e out into the yard and opened fus
. lade upon the ronse rs. The old peop
!. in the house were engaged in earne
j. prayer, and the boys out in the va
y were having more fun than they ev
had before in their lives. An all!gat
y. is not easily killed. 1t took a ha
II dozen shots TO lay out one of the G
Re bulls.
~ The funniest part of the affair W
E. the excitement that 1t created in I
ls neighborhood The rapid firing of !
l., guns, accompanied by the shouts
n the boys. aroused the whole neighbt