Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-08-17
A snake Charmer's Fcats.


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
rcsemblcd fait'esnake. Mr.. Howe thrust
an arm into the box and lifting the squirm-
ing reptile by the neck tossed him on u
billiard table 10 the CONSERVATION Of man
who was reaching across for ball.
"rhat's the only one have mt present,
said Mr.. Howe, us he stroked the crca.
ture's back, "But Ioxpect 10 get more soon.
This fellow | caught about three months
age, near Chcmung Station, New Jersey,
and he has turned out one Of the incest
pets | have had. lie was pretty ugly at
frat, but by gentle handling have made
decent snake out OF hun. Why, he wouldn't
cat for three weeks after he was caught,
but | got him recontiled 10 his fate at last
lie now oata regularly and N qnite lively.
fed him on sparrows, mice eggs and milk.
put the blrds IN alive, and sometimes
feel sorry for the poor things, they do take
ON 80. lie kills them and then swallows
them whole, feathers and NIL. lie swal-
lows an egg without breaking the shell.
That sounds like pretty stff snake story,
but the throat OF u snake Is capable Of won
lerful distension. | feed him three and
four times week. After meal he will
lie for four or five hours without stirring
muscle.
''The rat.lesnake." the snake fancier
continued, rarely feeds more than three
Ia. Ia t.neh uiainna
than the pine snake, and il requires much
more skill and patience TO subdue him. II
is the same way with the blacksnake. The
'fatller' has the nature OF bulldog TO q
great extent the only way in which any
thing can be done with him at first is by
brute force. have to whip rattler into
subjectlon. Hcw's that oh, the whip
ping? Well, sir, find that snake has
about as muck intelligence as almost any
animal, and when II strikes at you il
knows il has done wrong and understands
why the whipping is administered. i
take small switch and whip the snake
over the head. Raltlers are stubborn al
first, but they can be conquered FINALLY by
the whip, and then they give little trouble.
When rattler gives in aud squeals then l
know have conquered him. If should
take switch and whip that snake there on
the head it would cry like hurt child.
That's strange, isn't it'll But it is true.
There is no need of whipping a snake more
than two or three times, iCr after that 1t
fears you, and if you go at il IN the right
way it will soon learn 10 love you the same
as a dog OF 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 at ME, and i probably
never will, because | treat it kindly.
Would you like to see it climb a tree
| Well, then, come out here"
The snake-owner carried the reptile to
tree in front OF The store and hung il over
the first limb. In few moments it climb
ed to the very top of the tree and swung
to and fro in the summer breeze. There
was a commotion among the birds and
loud and angry protests were made against
the intrusion. Mr.. Howe ami 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. He claims to have owned and
handled all sorts of small animals, includ-
ing birds, rats, mice. squirrels, opossums,
raccoons, ground-hogs, foxes and other
creatures common To this country. lie pre-
fers snakes to anything he has yet owned,
arguing that as much confidence can be
placed in them as in dog. While he was
giving an interesting experience q man
stepped under the tree and became an at
tentIve listener. He was mlddled-aged
man, upon whose features rum had placed
its mark. He was evidently no stranger to
delIrium, his mind was cloudy and his
speecn mcoherent. As he SIT listening the
snake, tired of the tree, dropped from the
lower Imb across his shoulders and instant
ly coiled itself about his neck
'sMerciful God he shouted, springing
to his feet and clutching wildly at hi:
throat, his face the picture of terror
Take it off; take II of oh, horrors
Take it off, for Heavens sake!"
Got 'em again!" said Howe, as he re
lisyed the man of the cold clammy coils
slim jams sure, this time. Go home ant
go to bed"
But-bui-wasn't that a snake-tha
: dropped on me fairly ga,ped the man
: '.You'ye got 'em again, say. How
! would a snake be in that tree, I'd like +
: know
1 boo ugh! Yes, I've got 'em again !
and he started OF al an unsteady thougl
fast pace down the street, convinced tha
dclirium trenlens was upon him with all il
r terrors
''lf that fellow hadn't got nd OF III
I snake il would havechoked him 10 cealh,
a SAID Howe, as he tucked the reptile unde
A his coat. st has powerful back bone
; snd its squeezing ability IS something II
> markable.'
n -Fifty-three million forest trees hay
= haan .,iantad in Nebraska