Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-01

that occurred to her. and informally chrs.ened him
"Hobson"
Since that hour Hobson has led life of such IN
broken serenity that beside the of the Trappst
monk under his of perpetual silence, may be de-
scribed gittering round of excitement To lie in
the water with his head on his log, about once in
twenty-four hours slowly draw his body up on tho
log at long intervals secretly absorb small por-
ton OF the provided for him. two or three
times week to be dropped by the tail into the bahtub
there to swim laziy about for few minutes while
the water in his tub is changed-these incidents form
Hobsons round of life Though he "scorns delights"
he cannot be said Give laborous days. and should
he ever return to his native swamps, could say
more truthfuy than he, with Canning Knife Grinder,
Story? God bless you, l have none to tell, sir"
Social attentions have gradually ceased. he is 50
coldy unresponsive The children used gather round
his tub and ascribe various emotions him. He likes
it when scratch his back with my hoopstick" "See
he's mad when tickle his tail" But his pleasure
and his rage characterized by such subtle shade
of difference that the unagnatve grownup eye could
not distinguish between them If you eased him long
enough he would eventually slip back into the water
from his log; at the extreme provocation OF white
string tangled on his nose he has been known once
twice open the wide mouth which almost meets at
the back of his neck and to emit faint squeak
This have decided, means rage-but this is merely
theoretical There IS, however, distinct maignancy
oil effect when he lowers the skin which his pale
and expressoness eye though he quite as apt to do
this when he at the sight OF his
meat.
There a portly and aoridy handsome boy who
lived upstairs and who much frequentej the society
OF Hobson and his small and agile owner Out of a
deep fund of nexpeence he gave many instructions
about Hobsons nature and habits and surveyed him
IN his tub with dauntle courage He wasn't afraid
of allgators; when Hobson grew large he would
take him of the tub for u.s. ETC. But when fanlili-
ariy had bred intrepiiiy, and the proud proprietor
would take her unattractve pet by the tip of his tall
and display him wreathng himself up toward her COM
panon in stiff curl the undaunted Boy would always
suddenly remember an engagement elsewhere and
swiftly vanish -.-.- -ss
But in spite of his terror Hobson laid his silent
spell upon him, and when we were to be away for
few days the Boy begged entertain him in his apart
ment / am compelled to admit that the invitation
was not very cordially seconded by the Boys mother,
and that she heard remark that she wished
he would take the horrid thing away But New York
ers who live In apartments are known to be inhos,,
pitabe, and Hobson was not sensitive. 80
During Hobson's sojourn with there are few of
our friends who have heard of him without
giving us some advice on the proper and train
ing of allgators. We have been informed alternately
that we starved and that stuffed him. though the
hrt theorist could suggest method OF forcbly ad
nansterng the food when he haughtiy ignores 1t,
he does much of the time. One who claims great in
tnlacy with agators tells the tub should be nearly
full OF water all the time; they like plenty of water
TO swim in Another who like Brer Rabbit, was
born an raised" in alligator swamp, contrajicts
this by ssying he should not be confined his tub.
but be allowed to at large-a suggestion which,
if followed, would rid of visitors as effectually as
if we had diphtheria sign on the door Another
authoritative voice is raised to say that Hobson will
soon expire of loneliness; that like Emerson's Man,
the alligator is made OF social Earth, Child ami
Brother from his birth that if there are hundred
alligators in swamp the whole number will invariably
be found assembled together that, in Short like many
fashionable ladies. Hobson cannot live without So
Cety and that it is cruelty for to pro-
vide him with flock of frocsome companions Any
way, critics say cherish him while you may for
have IJa
through the Summer, but he could survive a
northern Winter In spite, however, of all our sins
OF omission and commission, throughout the past Win
ter, Hobson has appeared precisely the he did
in the heat OF July, when he was boarding with the
anitor during our Summer absence. 1t he has
spent much time chair by the radiator with his
feet to speak, to the fire, but let the mercury
to the nineties, this first cousin to the Sphinx slu,-
bers unappreciatvely his log; let it drop those
unsounded depths it reached last Winter, mot wave
OF trouble rolls across his peaceful breast
In this age of hurried and restless activity this
Buddha-like calm is soothing to contemplate But a:
the same time it has a somewhat depressing effect
| am that Caspar Hauser, any other prisoner
known to fame. would long this have trained Hob
son to walk tightrope to say his prayers, leas,
to squeak many times for Yes and No. Having had
no training in the methods of teaching seem to be
incapable OF mpartng these simple accomplish
ments Worse even than this, in day when the child
at his mothers knee prattles of the frogs gangia
dssects the alnentary canal of the lobster when the
duiles can be trained to penetrate into
cannot even guess wha subtle intellectual processe.
are going on in Hobscn's brain. When with that
world-weary air he closes his eyes is he meditatna
upon the racc-problem he dreams of some pluml
and careless little niger falling into the within
reach OF that wide-sprcading jaw? Ii Mr.. Long were
here or Mr.. Thompson-Seton. or even thar naturalist
OF an earlier day whom recently heard alluded TO a.
Buffoon. no doubt he could tell us with precision
But, alas !! do not know
SIT in the sun and sew, and Hobson sits beside m,
on has log and thinks. And think of the poets of thu
repose that marks the caste of We're de. Yere.'; O
Abou Ben Adhem in his deep dream of peace; mos
OF all OF Calverley's parrcuQuet. .-t45-s
Il never loved, fond gazelle,
But had once a parroquet;
How did nurse him if urwel
He's inbecile but fingers yet.
Hes green with an enchanting tuft
He melts me with his small black eye,