The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-10-22
THE SNAKE CATCHER.

n Egypt, he determined to ascertain a
much as possible about the habits az,
h customs of the people, and among th
A real, interested himself in the practice
+ 50 common among the Egyptians, 0
$ snake -charmieg or snake catching. On
e day he sent for one of those snake catch
a ers, and said to him by means of an in
> terpreter, "Thare is a sarpe--ii7aa p - - :
house; ifyou ind it you shal! aave two
sequins for yourself, and two for your
men" g.. ,.- -..- ---
The man having pros'rated himself
called for two buckets of water. AS
soon as they were brought, he undress-
ed himself, then filling his mouth with
water, and creeping on his belly like the
reptile be sought, squirted it through
bis teeth, 50 as to intimate the kissing
of serpent. Having crept in this
manner through the ground floor, he
he placed himself before Napoleon, and
said with a savage laugh, Mafche,
Mafiche :" which means ''there is one. I"
The General also laughed, aud said,
'ihOw is this? Is the fellow iu good
earnest, able to tell 90 He then order
eli the interpreter TO explain clearly that
the reptile had been seen. Il know
it" replied the fellow, ~ smelt him as
1 entered the house, "Here we are,
said the General-in- Chief, ''the acting is
now going to begin. Well, let the SER
pent appear, and L will give thee two
sequins more"
The man immediately commenced
| creeping, and squirted water on all
sides. He assembled in the same man
nor staircase leading to an upper sto-
ry, occupied by Bourrienpe A long,
dark corr dor opened into several spart-
ments. 1t ~as lighted by a skylight a.
the further end, which gave a view of
the country, and at the bottom OF the
skylgh. was placed the water fountain,
this spot being the coolest in the house
The opening itself was sufficiently large
to give, from the other extremity of the
corridor, view of the beautiful Egyp-
tian sky. On attaining the landing place |
of this c rridor, the juggler paused, and
betrayed emotion He was closely fol- |
lowed by the Gsneral-iD- Caief and "a |
nuneer Of officers, attracted by cnriosi |
;y. The General did not lose sight of
the fellow an instant, and WAS de;ernn-
ed, if he discovered the least trick, TO
take him ia the act On seeing hia.
shudder and close his eyes, 1.-The man is
beginning his part said the General to
Junot. Aud in truth, the snake catch
er was in the most extraordinary state
Habitaelly pale, as all swarthy skins
are, he became every moment paler
Ee called for more water, washed his
body, squirted and Kissed as before, but
produced another kind of Kissing lie
looked on each side of the landing place,
made Sign with his hand to keep silent
and still creeping upon his belly, ad
vanced to the outside corridor, which
was the darkest part of it. 10 short
time, after squirting his mouthfut Of
water, he exclaimed in low tone there
he is II should be delighted TO do
him the honor of hospitality" said the
General in Chief. But, my friend,
suspect thou art laughing at us, Do
you know that this rascal, with Kissing,
has been making fools of US for the last
hour, in forcing US to run, without um
Drelias, after the imaginary serpent ?"
The snake-cateher continued to creep
On sudden, black and round body,
the branch of a tree, appear
ed in relief upon the pure azure, which
was visible through the skylight. Ii
was handsome serpent. real, alive, and
about six feet long. Az this sight. the
fellow reaoubled his kissing and squirt
ing, aud the serpent after uucoiling it
self from. around the fouu tain, Kissed IN
It's tl:rn, but It's note was much more
piercing.
The eyes Of tue reptile shene III the
,nmbre corridor, with blood colored
lsme. 1t glided along the fountain,
.nd stopped; then slight noise was
leard !. it was the reptile rising upon
is tail. The snake catcher could not
10 the same, because he had no tail
1ut he raised himself up, and made =,
light motion. In an instant the reptile ,
larted at him. He was waiting for this
lttack, and at the very momeRt it was
made, caught the animal with one hand :
onnd the threat alIieh he squeezed With
uch violence IS TO force open his mouth
nto which Ae spas. The effect was
magical: the reptile seemed to have re-
eiyed his death blow. The man after
Sards extracted his fangs, or rather the a
enom contained in small vesicles at c
ached TO its jaws. He theu played /
nth it, made it dance, aud put it round I!
is neck 'sThe snake catcher" said {,
lapoleon, sis lucky charlatan." II
EE The Rev. Mr.. Spurgeon, On 81
english minister, only twenty one years
f age, is now the clerical star of Lon