Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-03-05
THE sNAKE.EATER AND HIS STORY

de querre of John Thompson, was travel
ing through the United States exhibitin,
himself asa snake-eater, to the astonish
ment of the natives. He had horse an,
van, carried his own tent from town t.
town, and generally pitched it in th
suburbs. The tent held about $50 person
comfortably, aud when John Thompson
who was his own door keeper, found h.
had sufficient number within, he closet
the aperture, jumped upon small plat
form, and tinkled q bell, upon which cur
tain was raised, and the performer com
menced his duties. The man; seemed to b,
about 90 years Of age; his face was thin
and leaden wanness overspread his fea
rtures; but his sunken eyes had that super
natural brightness SO, often seen in, tht
eyes of the consumptive. His voice
though faint, was musical, but Uninterrupted
by an occasional cough ;-and as he re
moved his cravat and turned up his wrist
bands over the cuffs of his coat, he pointed
to a box before him covered with glass
and said, eff any one desires to satisfy
himself with regard to the reptile which
I am now about to deveur in the presence
of you all, and to restore again from my
throat alive he will please draw near an6
He then turned the box on end dis
playing the glass cover, to the audience
and disclosed to their sight hideOus rat
tlesnake. 9 1t was coiled, and, when dis
turbed, elevated its spiry head from its
circle, and while its forked tongue played
with a rapid motion, it darted against the
glass, in. vain attempts to escape, while
its rattles continued to quiver with a VIC
lent and whizzing sound, accompanied by
that apparent fiattening of the head which
denotes the highest pitch of resentment
Its dilated eyes shot fire, and the coarse
scales in its contorted form grew rugged in
its anger. There was NO mistake about
it's beinga veritable snake.
After this the box was put in its origi'
nal positionof glass uppermost. A chilly
shudder ran through the audience at the
next performance. The snake-eater turned
his back to the company, and bent his face
for moment over the edge of the box
and a kind of chuckling sound was heard
before he drew forth the horrible reptile
in his hand. The snake now seemed Ian
guild and passive, although the rattles con-
tinued to sound. He then placed the head
of the yenomous serpent to hiselips, and
opend his mouth, and the long coil began
to descend. It was an appalling sight to
see the huge reptile gradually going down
the throat of human being. The cheeks
Of, the young man began to dilate, and his
complexion became livid purple. His
eyes seemed bursting from their sockets
masses of foam gathered about his lips
and he looked as if he was undergoing, the
utmost mortal agony, and even exhibited
the throes of death. On one occasion nc
less than twelve of his audience were
taken out in fainting fits. -
After apparently mumbling and crush
ing the fearful meal, the spake-eater again
partially opened his lips, and the ferked
tongue of the reptile was seen playing
like threads of bright red fire between
them. Presently it began to emerge. Il
moved very slowly, as if held back by
other serpents who had preceded it, in the
awful deglutition of its master. AS the
long, loathsome folds hung from his lips
and continued to extend, the features o.
the snake eater assumed their wonted as
pect, and in moment the reptile had
emerged, was replaced in the box, and the
feat was accomplished. e.i
:, Then, after seating himself for few
seconds, to recover from the perilous exc
cution of his task, the snake eater arose
and addressed the audience. He desired
them to believe that he had wished not te
appal but to surprise them. There was
he acknowledged, an art in what he ha6
done; but it was a mysterious and undis
covered one. "They call me mad" he
added, bitterly, land conjurer, but 9
coniurer / am not, and though have
been mad, am not now. Yet often dol
r 70
calling one of foolish hazard, and perhaps
of disgust but did you know all, yor
would Judge me better. I thank yor
for your attendance; and if have sue
ceeded in surprising you, my aim has beer
won."
THE SNAKE. EATERS BIOGRAPHY, AND THE
WAY THE TRICK WAS DONE.
One day John Thompson had performed
in the suburbs of western city, when {
gentleman appeared among the audience
who had known the snake eater under {
different name, and in different sphere
of life; in fact, they had been colleg,
chums, and the visitor this evening had
considered that the snake eaters lot would
have been cast in quite different mould
The old fellow,collegians met. -Eigh
years only had they parted, and ye
what changes had taken place in tina
period! .
"Will you 90 back with me to Eng
land?" said Thompson's old companion
.i"No,v answered the snake-eater, 6"
must die in land where all those / holt
sacred are buried. / will tell you my shor
but melancholy history, and afterwart
don't question me, but keep my secret
Let me spin out the few years allotted t.
me as John Thompson, and let me selec
the spot where must be buried. t-'-
"But to come to facts, my friend; an
not what you think l am. Though re
garded hereabouts as one who has deal
am only a broken hearted man, the chill
of sorrow, and almost without hope.
do not speak this for your sympathy
for human sympathy can but at bes
awaken afresh the wells of mournfu
| tenderness in my breast, without pourin
one ray of sunshine upon the troubles
fountains; they must flow on in darknes
without q prospect of day; yet listen t
my story. 10 5i4a'i il'7s5
/. About eight years ago, with the spiri
|, of adventure stirring within me, cam
from the walls of an English universit.
to the far western States of America.
wrote to my parents for money; in fact
asked for my patrimony, and said woul'
never expect any more from them. The.
sent me q handsome sum, and sough
with this capital in hand to make trad
with the Indians, and, therefore, took LAM
close or. the frontiers bought furs fron
the natives, and bartered generally wit.
them. For all the country could produce
gave manufactured articles; and thus
went on prosperously. My capita
doubled, trebled, qusdrupled-in fact, il
all respects 1 was prosperous. Then fol
lowed a love affair, and it was pure lov
| e., G -