Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-11
Snake Hunting i'm New Jersey.

SnaKe AA Nc" jersey
 From the Philadelphia Times.l
 In times of general prosperity Jersey snakes are greatly in demand among show men and keepers of dime museums. A Jer- sey snake is especially valuable from the fact that it Is comparatively harmless, and by skillful manipulation may easily be changed into rattlesnake, a cobra or almost any kind of venomous reptile. Two years ago William Howe, saloon keeper at Fifth and Arch streets, Camden, did something of 8 business in show snakes; since then he has moved his saloon and has given up snakes entirely. He has had very little to do with any kind of snakes since vicious copperhead nearly killed Henry Wilson, his bar-keeper, some time ago. Howe's mantle in snake trading has now fallen upon Jerry Martin, of Hammonton, and Howe contents himself with snapping turtles and marine curiosities from the lower bay. I visited Jerry at his Ham monton home one hot day recently, and ex- pressed my wish to go snake hunting with him.
 ''Snake huntin', is it ?" he exclaimed. in something like astonishment. Want to go snake huntin We'll, I never! Fine gents from the city never hunts snakes, as knows on. Coin to start circus2 Museum busi- ness maybe? No? We'll, I never. Jest want to hunt snakes Maria!" he shouted, in 8 voice that might have been mistaken for 8 steam whistle.
 A nervous 1OOKlQR 11GG46 WOUdu bI0pp0O out from behind chicken coop.
 ''Ye needn't yell so, Jerry Martin; I Aint deaf"
 'tHere's gentleman from the city as wants to go snake huntin" Jerry moved back to note the effect of his words. Not 8 muscle moved in the careworn face under the sun bonnet.
 ''Well,'' she said, 8 moment afterward, "why don't you take him?"
 GsTiI1 6O iL-for half q dollar D
 In few minutes Jerry and were again jolting over the unbroken field in the direc- tion of a forest of scrup pines. t'Snakes is scarce around these parts this year. Fire over to Hammonton way drove lem of last summer. The big 'uns took to the pine swamp bout quarter of mile below the clearin' in the piney woods over to the right of us and the little ones was burned up. It's harder for me to git snakes now, but when finds one he's sure to be 8 whoppeI | an big enough to send to circus. The little ones l send to saloons an restaurants fol | show windows. Billy Howe, in Camden, he used to sell lem for me, but he's gone out oi the business and have to ketch lem and sell | lem myself. I was up to the Zoo -oligical gar den in the city last week to see about selling big piney snake, but Mir. Brown, the super intendent was away, an the dufer at the gate wouldn't let me in. Mebbe I'll go up next week ain't seen the big snake for "GCh6y an gone on @ vacation he's hiding in the swamp. Can't stand hot sun. dye see, and only comes out for any length of time on cloudy days. Not much chance for i'm to- day."
 At the edge of the woods the horse was un- roped from the wagon and turned loose. covered basket, pronged stick, bottle of chloroform and small sponge were taken from a box in the wagon. In the basket was an imitation mouse, fastened to the end of the stick was small ball of tWine An old cloth apron completed what Jerry called the outfit"
 Down to the edge of the big swamp. where the weeds and the bushes grew thick and high, Jerry walked softly and, after five min utes of slow creeping, sat down upon log
 ''Keep quiet, now, he cautioned, "theres lots of snake holes around here. Here's where I saw the big 'un three weeks ago. Now, you hold the end of the string while I fasten the mouse in the clear spot over there"
 The stick upon which the imitation mouse was fastened was forced into the ground so that the mouse rested in an upright position about an inch above the sand. The string reached from the mouse to the log We lay down. side by side, behind the log, with our heads upraised so that we could command 8 view of semicircle 30 or 40 feet in diameter.
 We waited five minutes in utter silence. Then Jerry's arm moved backward quickly and the string futtered an instant in the sand.
 Squeak The imitation mouse cried out as if caught in & trap. A bird stopped chirping overhead. Squeak-squeakl The bird flew away, At irregular intervals for 10 minutes the mouse shrieked in anguish, but only the fitting shadow of the swaying string dis turbed the dull gray surface of the sand. Through an opening in the trees the sunblazed down in sullen fury. Out in cleared field the heat throbbed upward like waves from a furnace. The narrow horizon beyond the trees waved like banner and the branches of the bushes hung motionless in the sti- fling air.
 Squeak-squeak-s The mouse was becoming furious. Over at the base of 8 stump something moved A streak of yellow gray sand seemed to start into life Jerry nudged me softly.
 5 "A snake" It was but whisper, but the snake heard it and stopped, with head up raised and tongue darting back and forth like the fame of a spirit lamp. The mouse be came frantic at it's danger. Jerry seized the crotched stick, and the chloroform and the sponge and WAS making ready for 8 spring, when I saw by sudden pallor in his face that something had happened. I leaned toward him and he put his lips close to my ear.
 There's snake crawling over my Iegs," he whispered. Don't move muscle l''
 Jerry bowed his head upon log and became as marble In & moment something touched my leg twice. A chill ran through me; my veins ceased throbbing and my lungs refused to do their work. The snake was feeling his way across me. A second heightened into minute, the minute to an hour, seemingly, and still the snake dragged his heavy length across my legs. In that second of horror, and disgust the reptile was as long as ships cable and as heavy as tree. When I felt myself free of the weight turned my head. Jerry had risen, and with stick in hand was stepping over me. He made @ lunge at something, and when Jumped to my feet found him holding the stick upon the snakes neck.
 "Wet the sponge with chloroform, quick, and hold it down upon his nose."
 While was doing this the snake wound himself about the stick and about Jerry's leg twice, but in moment the folds relaxed and the snake was as linn as 8 rope.
 "Thats the way ketch 'em, " said Jerry, ss he wrapped the snake in the apron and crowded it into the basket. 'tNo trouble about that, is theref Tomorrow that piney snake will stretch his six feet O length in a box that I've got up to the house, an next week he'll go to New York or to the museum on Arch street, Philadelphia. That mouse does the business every time. That first snake skipped back into his hole when the mouse stopped squeakin'. No use tryin' for i'm to-day any more. Wouldn't come out for drove of mice There mighty sharp, snakes is."
 Hoods Sarsaparilla is an extract of the best remedies of the vegetable kingdom
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