The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-06-06
COX OF GATORS.
tbe strange Eggs Little Clay
H,und on the Beach.

~ he strange Eggs Little Clay
hound on the Beach.
He Clav Recess lived in Florida,
ia Had fine times ON the beach
6;S home. one day he was dig.
in |the sand. when up came a
r lIttle object. 1t was long and
~ Nd had tough shell that bent
lenied in Clay's fingers. He could
aste out what it was. SO he ran
linda, his black nurse, and showed
her. Clinda laughed.
,wsg. honey" she said. that air
II eator's aigg. Dig erway, an
done fin er heap mo-"
cav dug away Justify, and, sure
II. b. came more eggs with every
,Iftl of sand. Five times he filled
llttIe bucket and carried them
to his mother untill1wenty-fve
liz in the box she gave him to
|hefh in. That night when Clay
IL His white "nightie" and having
|oT|ng time" with his mother he
!. blow came the eggs in the
le mother gator hid them there"
cred his mother as she rocked and
edl per little boy.
lesn't the mother gator cuddle her
ike the mother hem" asked Clay.
J. dear She leaves them in the
Ton the hot sun to hatch out"
ell fink the mother gator is a
seIfiSh thing cried Clay, sitting
bis Indignation.
j, b. said his mother, smiling.
{ IS her way of taking care of
fbe way God taught her. She
cuddle her eggs like the mother
She has no soft feathers, and her
in would break the eggs if she
] mem. The nice warm sand cud-
1en, and the sun helps to hatch
out. She takes good care of them.
lten comes to look after her bal
|Hd when they hatch out she finds
'0r them and will not let anything
lem"
y she 20 to look at her eggs to-
~ day. asked Clay.
mn she WILL" said his mother.
~ Ill take them all back" muir
~ he sleepy little fellow.
poN OF eggs was put in a closet,
either Clay nor his mother
~ of them again. A week later
Nfnt to the closet for some toys
leard a strange. rustling noise.
nc up and saw Il box on Il shelf.
a cover dancing up and down.
y hother cried Clay, dancing up
~ himself in excitement, como
pick. Here is a box-all alive
nother came running in. and
Eere dozen tiny black shouts
under the box cover. Before
plu even scream out popped
of baby alligators and dropped
4 Tie floor. where they scamper-
every direction. All the eggs
tched for the closet was behind
ana The box in a warm place.
a time as there wasl Clay
up and down, screaming with
pt his mother climbed on top of
10 get out of the way of the
Prs who went running about as
hurry TO investigate this new,
j world in which they found
A yves. Black Clinda came run
4 10 see what was the matter.
Tor a hunt. The baby alliga-
~ under the furniture and bur-
under the carpets, popping out
IN mole and corner. 1t was near
Neek before the last one was
a rather Recess shook three out
boot one morning, and Mother
pulled on her stocking and found
4 the toe.
thought they were the cum
I playfellows and begged hard to
-hem. But when his mother told
~ the mother gator would want
soles he consented to have them
r. me beach. His father let him
~ ana made a pen for them in
4ck yard, with a small tank of
III 1t. Here Clay played with
.and they became very tame and
! 10 know their little master. He
Ten seen with the whole lot
ping all over him. His mother
lot bear to touch the creatures,
Clay assured her that their way
tpllilng up his arm and poking
pack shouts into his face was
way Of loving him. He kept his
'or a year. Then sharp white
began to come in their big
II, ana his father thought they
become dangerous playfellows,
night they all disappeared, and
peVer saw them again. If he had
IN the beach next day, he might
seen six young alligators scam
ABOUT as if they did not know
TO make of their strange sur.
mss. | wonder if their mother
'hem.- Congregationalist.