rs sidled off to high-water mark, and wholly
declined their acquaintance. But here was an excitement at all events.
They were not indifferent. And now, were they disgusted, or did they
affect that? It was difficult to say; but the next morning the fiddlers
_had disappeared_! If fiddlers had not been abundant in that country they
would now have been at a premium, for they continued to disappear as often
as they were furnished; and as evidence that they did not escape from the
tub, the 'pets' now grew sensibly, barked louder and with more firmness,
and were in some degree playful. I do not mean that they had any of that
silly affectation which we see in most young animals; such as the
kittenish grasping at imaginary mice, or the dog's shaking of a stick,
with the idea that it is something very vicious; fallacies all, which
seriously considered are so pitiable and lamentable; I could detect
nothing of that credulous nature; but sometimes, on coming suddenly upon
them, I would find them lying side by side, their fore-feet put forward,
and their three noses laid together on the sunny side of the tub, with an
air of confidence and trust that was very interesting to witness. Indeed,
there was something kindlier in it than you would think of an alligator.

As to my object in keeping them, there were various rumors afloat about
town, in the utterance of which, libellous as some of them were, Mrs. ----
was perhaps the loudest and most malicious; she having hinted, among other
scandalous conjectures, that the soup from alligator-tail being very
palatable and delicate, a speculation was afoot contemplating the supply
of the northern market with that article. About this time, also, some of
her lizards were missing, and thought to have found their way to the tub;
but all surmises were soon cut short by the first cold night of that
winter, (one of them in February,) which chilled the water so that the
'pets' next morning were quite stiff, and apparently dead. By careful
nursing, however, two of them were thoroughly revived, and made to
articulate distinctly; but having no thought of a second cold night in the
same winter, the waters closed over them again, a thin ice shut out the
air, (they had not presence of mind, I suspect, to come to the surface,)
and on the morning of the second day they were quite gone. And now, in
closing this history, I do not want to be uncharitable, but I suspect Mrs.
---- was privately rejoiced at their death