Show f e 1 N JI GJ GRAHAM BONNeR COh coueY sr i ALLIGATORS' ALLIGATORS APPETITES Hello said the keeper to the alit alli gators a tors They were lying about In their zoo tank Some were stretched out on the surrounding boards As soon as the keeper said hello hell every alligator rushed toward the end end of of the tank near where the keeper was vas standing The keeper did not go too near them for li he he-didn't he didn't dare They are l liable able to I bite off oft an arm if they are hungry In i th their ea eagerness erness to get at nt the tho food food being being be be- beI I ing handed banded to them He gave them their dinner and then they hey went back to sleep and to sleep soundly too Later on he spoke to them but they paid no attention It was a little while after this that Miss Alice Allee Alligator began to speak to Miss A Agnes nes Alligator They quite often otten talked together and usually In much the same way I Good day Miss l Agnes said Miss 1 Alice In alligator talk tak Good day splashed Miss Agnes How are you feeling inquired Miss Alice Allee Im beginning to feel hungry said I Miss Agnes l If I hadn't been feeling a little i hungry I woul wouldn't nt have spoken to I yo you The same Is true of me said Miss II Alice You know I think think- thinka a good good- appetite appetite appetite ap ap- petite Is the greatest Joy In the world I I know of ot no other Joy so great said Eald Miss Agnes except that of having havIng having hav hav- ing plenty of food to match the appetite appe appe- tite Oh yes said Miss Alice Oh yes Before I 1 came to the zoo Miss Alice continued my mamma told me r I Good Day Splashed shed Miss Agnes that it was the nature of the alligator to be f fonder of food than of anything else She said that each spring she l laid ld sixty or eighty eggs which she would hatch out In a mound of brush and dry I grass gras I She said the heat helped the hatchIng hatching hatch- hatch 1 Ing which made less work wok f for r herShe herShe her She didn't care to work hard She was fond afan of an easy life Ufe She was a usual alligator In n other wor words s. s I I understand said Miss Agnes Well Nell continued Miss Alice Allee she also told me that she guarded her eggs closely to to see that no ho no harm came cameto cameto cameto to them them them- except them extent except except except except ex ex- except and except except and 1 here Is is the great point of my iny tale tale except except when I she was hungry I IThen Then shed she'd quite forget about about- the eggs which h would soon be young alligators alli gators and she would go off oft in search of food Nothing she said was so important as food and a good appetite not even the children My Uy try mother told me the same thing said Miss Agnes And she ralso also said that once the eggs had become become become be be- come baby alligators they could look after themselves She didn't believe In looking after them then and spoiling them and she said sold that all aU mother alligators agreed with her If It they bother bothered d. d her she v would uld eat them as would the daddy alligators which she said was a n sure punishment punish punish- ment menu against them then bothering her again and having haying to be told they must not be naughty again Its sensible lc said Miss Agnes not notto notto to fuss over anything but our own ap appetItes appetites petItes which are arc so good and out our food Some people said Miss Alice Allee sa say the same thing over and over again 14 Dont do this Dont Don't do that Dont Don't let me have to speak to you another time Now do you hear me No none of ot that nonsense sense for mother moth moth- er alligators Appetites and food a art are Important all-Important with them And once more the alligators seemed seemed- to show signs of life lite for they were hungry again I J |