The Nome daily nugget., 1935-02-23


 Twice she saw him approach the house after dark when Mrs. Met calf was away, hence We were req sonably sr~a that none of his visits were preai anged.
 And each day Mrs. Metcalf came across the street to report the tre- mendous strides In the growth of her lizard.
 Twice Mrs. Iodgson went over to look at the strange beast.
 On the last occasion she fled In mortal terror. For the lizard had grown, Tn two weeks time, into a full sized crocodile, and was chained up in pen In Mrs. Metcalfs cellar.
 Mrs. Metcalfs delight was some thing to wonder at.
 And to think" she'd say. "only two weeks ago he was a little bit of fellow that you could hold in the palm of your hand" It was all very puzZling. We didn't know whether the wOm- an ldQ gone insane or not.
 But facts were facts. There was a lizard. Mrs. Hodgson had seen It. And Miguel didn't deny that he was the donor. But. on the other hand, lizards don't grow into man. eating crOcodies in two weeks time.
 We agreed 1t was a very rare sps- cies.
 Suddenly a change came over Mrs. Metcalf.
 For more than a week Mrs. Hodg. son saw nothing of her. although Miguel was seen making his usual calls at the house.
 After two more days had passed, Mrs Hodgson decided to run over and see If things were all right. It was, I am inclined to believe, curi- oslty as much as concern, that prompted the act.
 Mrs Hodgson found Emily In . state of utter despair. There were deep rings under her eyes, a hag- gard look about her face. Ques- tioned, she replied 1t was the lizard. Mrs. Hodgson was aghast.
 "The lizard? What's happened to the lizard?"
 He's growing smaller. Every day he reduces in size, quite as fast as he increased"
 Mrs. Hodgson became alarmed. She wondered whether or not It were best to summon a doctor.
 But upon being shown the lizard she was forced to agree that It's size had shrunk. It was no longer a crocodile. In fact, 1t was nothing more than a falr-sIzed lizard.
 Thereafter Mrs. Hodgson made daily trips across the street. And each day she reported that the lizard was growing smaller and smaller.
 It was truly a remarkable thing.
 It was alarming, too, because with each passing day Emily became more haggard looking. She had lost her gushy and cooing ways. She grew morose and taciturn.
 And then, one day Mrs. Hodgson came over and discovered Emily on the floor in a dead faint. Quite concerned with the widows plight, Mrs. Hodgson did what she could and at last revived the victim.
 Immediately upon regainlng con- sciouSness, Emily burst Into a fit of weeping.
 After considerable questioning she announced that the lizard had be- come so small as to be scarcely dis eernible, and then had vanished al- together She admitted. also, that Miguel was angry and had said he would not come to see her any more.
 Miguel remained In town two weeks longer. He had become tre- mendously popular and was discov- cred to be quite fun-loving and so- elal sort of person.
 On the last day of his stay I dropped in at his apartment to say anu was pi lstu lU llIlu the place filled with a number of boxes in sizes varying from one an Inch square to another ten feet high. Miguel was industriously pounding slats over the top of the largest
 He grinned at me and winked.
 I've been so darned busy It's just now I've found time to send these things back"
 What things?" asked
 He beckoned to me and 1 looked in one of the boxes. At sight of great crocodile reposing inside [ drew away in some alarm.
 Miguel and stared at each other for some time. Finally he said: Down in Mexico we go to great ex- tents to have our fun"
 He grlnned. and extended my hand. Friend" I said, "come yls-