Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-08-20
singular Snakes.

While looking at some small pictures
hanging crooked on the wall in India,
writes Walter Severn, noticed what
struck me as being very odd, a red
blanket prOtruding from hole In the
wainscotlng, near the mantel piece. In
reply to my inquiry as to what this
meant, my host said "Oh that Is
where We keep our snakes are you
afraid of snakes?" Before I could stam-
mer out a reply, and while was trying
to steady my nerves, he thrust in his
arm and palled out with the blanket a
lot of serpents which tumbled on to the
ground and the table. Another dive
brought out the rest Of the blanket and
with 1t two large snakes, which he in
formed me were special favoriteS-a
python and boa constructor. These
at once coiled themselves around my
hosts body, in and out of his arms and
about his neck.
DaZed with astonishment and shak.
ing with fear, tired to retreat, but he
assured me, in winning accents and
soft words, that the "deaD things"
were quite tame; and for some minutes
we stood, close TO the window-which
thought might afford means of escape
and he between me and the door.
Suddenly my eccentric host, who had
very large, excited eyes, called out
that he must really fetch down his wife
and shOveling off the two monsters on
to the floor (which he did not do with
out difficulty, he darted from the room
closing the door behind him. l leave
you, kind readers, to imagine my feel
ingsl experienced a creepy sensation
in my hair, and strange feelings of fasci-
nation, faintness and fear stole over
me as l stood rooted to the floor, afraid
even to look round at my possible win
dow escape. The two huge monsters
crawled stealthily up the sofa and kept
stretching out their necks to gaze a
me, and their eyes staring with what
seemed to me devilish inquisitiveness. i.
The silence was only disturbed by
the beating of my poor heart, and 1
knew not how hong it was before the
door opened and my host reappeared
with pretty lady. who, after smiling
courtesy to me, lifted the snakes from
the sofa, or rather, leaning toward them
allowed them to entwine themselves
quickly around her comely figure. Al
though still frightened began to heave
sighs of relief, and could not help be-
ing impressed by the picturesquenesso of
the scene. The lady's black velvet
bodice showed off to great advantage
the large snake coils, with their curious
markings, and her rich brown hair was
soon charmingly ruflled by the caresses
of the snakes, as they poked their noses
through 1t. In few minutes two lit
tie girls appeared, and tripping up to
their mother, began playing with the
snakes, calling the boa cleopatra,
DEAR" and actually kissing its nose
until the snake tried impatiently to
withdraw its neck from their fond little
hands.
Mrs. NJ, who seemed overweighted
with the two snakes, asked her husband
to relieve her of the python, and she
then proposed that we should have
some coffee, which was brought in by
the little girls. BY this time 1 had
gained my self-possession, and watched
her with the keen interest of an artist
as she poured out the coffee and tapped
occasionly the head of the boa, which
was inquisitively stretched out toward
me. During this time the smaller
snakes were all about the room, green
one half hidden in the blotting book,
and others hanging from the table and
chairs and from Mrs. NJ. g pockets.