The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-09-01
A Snake Cllnrlner's Feats.

Mr. Howe, Of Camden, New jersey, is
snake charmer. Behind the counter of
his liquor and billiard room, corner of Arch
and Fifth streets, Camden, stands pine
box with glass front, and IN this, recently,
visitor found six. feet pine snake, which
at distance of three or four feet, closely
rcscmblcd rattlesnake. Mr.. Howe thrust
an arm into the box and lifting the squrm-
ing reptile by tho neck tossed him on a
billiard table to the CONSERVATION of a man
who was reaching across for ball.
'Ihars the only one have AT present, "
said Hlr. Howe, as he stroked the crca.
ture's back, "But 1expect to get more soon.
This fellow caught about three months
ago, near Chemung Station, New Jersey,
and hc has turned out one of the incest
pets l have hau. He was pretty ugly at
first, but by gentle handling have made a
decent snake out Of hlm. Why, he wouldn't
eat for three weeks after he was caught.
but got him reconcilad to his fate at last
He now cats regularly and Is qnite lively.
led him on sparrows mice eggs md milk.
put the birds IN alive, and / sometimes
feel sorry for the poor things, they do take
on 80. He kills them and then swallows
them whole, feathers and ALL Hc swal-
lows al egg without breaking the shell.
Tha! sounds like pretty stiff snake story,
but the throat of a snake is capable OF won
derful distcnsion. feed him three and
four times week. After meal he will
lie for four or five hours without stirring
muscle.
"Thc rat!lesnake," the snake tanclcr
continued, ''rarely feeds more than three
times week. lie is much more vicious
than the pine. snake, and it requires much
more skill and patience to subdue him. 1t
is the Same way with the blacksnakc. The
'raltlcr' has the nature OF bulldog to
great extent; the only way in which any
thing can be done with him At first is by
brute force. l have to whip rattlor iEto
subjectlon. Hcw's that2 Oh, the whip.
plng2 Well, sir, find that snake has
about as muck intelligence as almost any
animal, and when 1t strikes at you it
knows 1t has done wrony and understands
why the whipping is administered. l
take snail switch and whip the snake
over the head: Rattlcrs are stubborn at
nrst, but they can be conquered FINALLY by
tue whip, and then tney give little trouble.
When rattler gives i'll and squcals then I
know l have conquered him. If should
take switch and whip that snake there on
the head it would cry like hurt child.
There is no need of whipping a snake more
than two or three times, tor after that it
fears you, and If you 60 at it IN the right
way it will soon learn 10 love you the same
as dog or a cat. Before tanned this one
it jumped clear out Of the box one day in
an endeavor to strike the Clerk 1t never
made single pass ut me, and i. probably
never will, because l treat it kindly.
Would you like to see it climb a tree?
Well, then, come out here"
The snake-owner carried the reptile to a
tree in front oil he store and hung it over
the first limb. In Il few moments it climb
ed to the very top vi the tree and swung
to and fro i'll the summer breeze. There
was commotion among the birds and
loud and angry protests were made against
the Intrusion. MIR. Howe and the reporter
sat down under the tree and talked of
snakes and lizards and all manner of Creep
Ing things, the former discoursing volubly on
his preference for snakes as pets and play
things. lie claims to have owned and
handled all sorts of small ANIMALS, includ-
ing birds, rats, mice. squirrels, opossums,
raccoons, ground-hogs, foxes aud other
creatures common to this country. lie pre-
tcrs snakes to anything he has yet owned.
arguing that as much confidence c.,n he
placed In them as in dog. While he was
giving an interesting experience man
stepped under tho tree and became an at-
tentlvc listener. He was a mlddlcd-agcd
man, upon whose features rum had placed
Its mark. Hc was evidently no stranger to
dellrium, his mind was cloudy and his
speech mcoherent. AS he st listening the
snake, tired Of the trce dropped from the
lower limb across his loulders and instant
ly coilcd itself about his neck.
"Merciful God he shouted, springing
to his feet and clutching wildly at his
throat, his face the picture of terror.
'rake il off; take 1t OIL Oh, horrors
Take it off, for Heavens sakc!"
'Got 'em again " said Howe, as he re.
lieved the man Of the cold clammy coils.
''Jim- jams sure, this time. Co. home and
go to bed"
But-but-wasn't that a sna6e-lhat
dropped on me2z fairly gaspcd the man.
"You'vc got 'em again, | say. How
would snake be in that tree, I'd like 70
know2"
"Boo ughl Yes, I've got 'cm again -
and he started Off al an unsteady though
fast pace down the street, convinced that
dclirlum trcmcns was upon HIM with all it's
terrors.
IF that fellow hadn't got rid OF tho
snake it would have chokcd him to dcalh,"
said Howe, as he tucked the reptile under
his coat. 'It has q powerful back bone,
and it's squeezing ability is something re-
markable."
In tho yyest Indies.
Strange as it may seem ut first sight,
everybody in the Wost Indies eats very
1oco,o ,anoIo TpI,o ,l;,,,,4o &, ,o I, - ~ - l.