Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-08-12
Tame Snakes.

While looking at some small n.
hanging crooked on the wall Nav.
what struck me as being very odd ~.
blanket proruding from hole !, q
wainscoting, near the mantel-piere
reply to my inquiry as to wba, i
meant, my host said "Oh that jsut
we keep our snakes; are YOU afr.3
snakes" Before | could stammer IN,
reply, and while was trying to grs'
my nerves, he thrust in his arm ~
pulled out with the blanket lot Of T..
penis, which tumbled onto the gron8
and the table. Another dive brorm,,
out the rest of the blanket, and Wifi I.
two large snakes, which he Informed ne
were special fayorites-a python and !,
boa constructor. These at once ca5
themselves all round my hosts body \
and out of his arms, and about his 0ecg
DaZed with astonishmcnt and sbs,7,
with fear, | tried to retreat, but Ne 4.
sured me in winning accents and ai
words, that the "dear thing" Mora
quite tame;' and for some minutes We
stood, | close to the window-whd I
thought might afford a means Of e,cgt
and he between me and A.
door. Suddenly my eccentric host
who had very large, excited eyes caua
out that he must really fetch down Ii
wife, and shoveling off the two moa,a
on to the floor (Which he did no, ja
without some difficulty, he datci tDa
the room, closing the door behind bio
| leave you, kind reader, to imagine o..
feelings | experienced a creepy sens
ton in my hair, and strange feelings u
fascination, faintness, and fear stole Oval
me, as / stood rooted to the floor. afraid
even to look round at my possible vaI
dow escape. The two huge mJusnI
crawled stealthily up the sofa, and kqtI
stretching out their necks to gaze atn2I
their forked tongues Jerking in and olt
and their eyes staring with wha, seemed
to me a devilish inouisitivencss.
The silence was only DISTURBED by TIE
beating of my poor heart, and kaeF
not how long it was before the do1
opened, and my host reappearcd with
pretty lady, who, after a smiling curl
sey to me, lifted the snakes irom 'l'
sofa, or rather, leaning toward them, D.
lowed them to entwine themse.yc'quel
ly round her comely figure. AItnol.
still frightened, / began to heaye 'gl
of relief, and ] could not help beng TO-
pressed by the picturesqucness o. &
scene. The lady's black 'e'a
bodice showed off to g~
advantage the large SOD.
coils, with their curious markings. %.
her rich brown hair was soon chaTmas,
ruffied by the caresses Of the SNAKE .
they poked their noses through H. n'|
few minutes two little girls aPPe''o
and tripping up to their mother I, peg, =
playing with the snakes, calling ti' y
cleopatra dear" and actually h.a-
its nose until the snake tried lmPa"5,..
to withdraw its neck from IheH w.
little hands.
Mrs. NJ, who seemed ovcr"eIsl-
with the two snakes, asked her hl,O.. /.
to relieve her of the python, ana =. !
then proposed that we should nave IA
coffee, which was brought in by 'ns y h.. =,
girls. BY this time had regalaaI- +.
self-possession, and watched her VIZ, W.. !,
interest Of an artist as she poured o' :.
coffee, and tapped occasionally ' !g:.' ~
of the boa, which was inqu.sa,s
stretched out toward me. D1iiD- ,1+
time the smaller snakes were an ~ 4.
the room, a green one half hidden = n.
blotting book, and Others hansl9TI TI
the table and chairs. and from -
pockets. - CasseUs Nag ta1a@