St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-08-13
Editor of the St. Tammany Farmer,

Editor of the St. Tammany Farmer,
| Dear Sir-In recent issues of the
Farmer you have been spinning some
| good yarns about that big pumpkin
on exhibition in one Of the show
windows of Covington, now l want
to tell you a bona fide, "cross-my-
heart" true story about St. Tam
| many alligator-not vegetable alli-
| gator pear, either-but a real live,
"sure enough" alligator with four
| legs, a nasty breath and we'll de-
| veloped appetite for horsefiesh and
pickaninnies.
Vaudeville, your big pumpkin
patch, and Bayou Lacombe may
| equally share the honor of produc-
| ing and developing the particular
specimen of alligator referred to
herein, since he makes his somewhat
spectacular entrance upon the land,
or rattle waterscape, of st. Tammany
parish, about half way between the
town of Vaudeville and Bayou La
combe, to Nenour Cousin, however,
of the latter town, must be accorded
the glory of engaging in single COM
bat and overcoming him.
Last Tuesday, while driving home
ward from Old Landing, to Bayou
Lacombe, Mr.. Cousin stopped at Big
Branch to water his horse, and hav-
ing neglected to provide himself with
bottle Of "Covington Antiseptic,
got out of his buggy, bathed his face
in the creek and took drink (of
water himself. Loosening his horses
check line, he climbed into his buggy
again and drove into the creek just
a couple of yards above the bridge
which spans it. Now Big Branch
is small stream with b big name,
which crosses the Mandeville-Bayou
Lacombe road about four miles from
the latter town; it Is shallow and not
very wide at this particular crossing,
but gets deeper and wider little
farther down where 1t empties into
Lake Ponchatrain, and the very last
place where on would look for the
unexpected" Gin the shape of big
alligator) to happen. But while
Dandy" the handsome PAGER, was
quenching his thirst and his master
dreamed of logs, timber deals, big
profits and other large affairs,
horrid alligator was noiselessly en-
crying from the shadows of the
bridge and swimming swiftly towards
the unsuspecting horse. Suddenly
there was a swish and swirl of
of water and immense ALI ator with
wide open jaws launched itself at
the horse and but for a quick move
ment of the latter, viii h brought the
buggy wheel between him and the
70 fo
PAGER would have been minus a hind
leg. AS it was, however, the impact
of the gators shoulder against the
wheel broke one of the spokes, while
tbs teeth laid open the flesh on the
horses hind leg, just below the hook,
making very ugly wound, which
will unfit him for many days.
The panic stricken horse dashed
wildly through the creek and up the
bank, almost upsetting the bug y
and throwing it's occupant into the
water. Mr.. Cousin had caught a a
glimpse of the alligator's ugly head
and open mouth only few feet from
his own legs, and it is still an open
question as to which was the worst
scared, the horse OR the driver. At
any rate, the latter only got control
of the situation after the horse had
raced a couple of miles homeward.
Next morning taking his rifle, shot
gun, long pole and colored man
with him Mr.. Cousin drove over to
Big Branch, the scene of the previous
days adventure, and be an searchin
for the monster that crippled his
horse and frightened himself. After
poking about the hole among the
sunken logs and other debris that
had foated under the bridge, the
alligator was located and goaded till
he came from his hiding place and
gave battle to the disturbers of his
peace. 1t required four bullets and
a load of buckshot judiciously dis
tributed in varius parts of his ana
tony, to place that alligator hors du
combat, and convince him that a
citizen of Bayou Lacombe driving
thirsty PAGER on hot day, had water
privileges in Big Bran which 1t was
unsafe for even an overgrown eight
feet and seven inches long saurian
to ignore or dispute.
Mr. Cousin thinks that the ALI
gator was after him, but was willing
to compromise for the horse. The
compromise suited the man very
we'll, for while he would doubtless
prove delicate morcel and welcome
variety to the menu" of an hungry
| fish, he has no particular hankering
| for the reputation of Jonah" It
| is stated that during the fight be-
tween Mr.. Cousin and the alligator,
| the latter beloved with rage and
| exuded a musky odor which permit
ated the atmosphere for miles and
made the surrounding country smell
like a colored dance hall on asJuly
night.
| Now Mr.. Editor, if you think there
is any exageration in the foregoing,
| Just ask Nemour next time you see
him in Covington, he'll show you the
wounded horse, the photograph of
the alligator, certification of mea-
surements, eight feet, seven inches
from snout to tip of tail, and any
other little detall that you may deem
necessary to the yerification of the