THE CAMP FIRE. 33 



" And why should so cruel a monster, hidden in these 

 solitudes, have his person decorated ?" 



" And why should the flowers bloom in the ever- 

 glades with the same glory of odor and color as they do 

 in the Tuileries ?" 



" There you go again. You are never kept down to 

 the practical bearings of nature." 



" I warrant you that these negro boys would coincide 

 with me, and give the true reason. Caesar ! Caesar ! you 

 sleepy-head. Explain to us the use of the alligator's 

 tail." 



" Wha's dat, maussa ?" 



" What does the alligator do with his tail ?" 



" Suck um in de winter." 



" You fool — you know better than that." 



" Dat so fur true, maussa. Maussa Poke, nebber see 

 little alligator in de egg, just gwine to hatch, hey ? Den 

 he see little alligator wid his tail in his mouf, and when 

 he cum out de egg den he take him tail out of him mouf 

 and eat hop-toads, and debil-bugs, and sich like, till win- 

 ter cum on, and den he curl up in de mud and suck tail 

 agm till hot time cum agui." 



" Oh, Doctor, there you have it, an explanation by a 

 child of nature. I hope you are content." 



" Csesar, you're a fool !" said the Doctor sententiously. 



" Caesar ain't fool nudder," interposed Scipio, raising 

 his curly head from behind his comrade. " Ef he don't 

 pickle young alligators, he sees 'em and knows suthin or 

 nudder." 



