Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-05-20
4 LONDON MYSTERY.
AT THE zoo.


Gardens in lazy mood Friday after.
noon to listen to q lecture on SNAKES. "
Congratulate me, old chap!" ex-
claimed an impulsive voice at the gates,
and ! turned to find Reggy Gardner at
my elbow. "Can't stay now-just of
to the lawyers" he said as he hailed a
passing hanson.
what is it all about, Reggy?'
II am going to be married. She's
the loveliest woman in the world
Come and 2nnhHith me at the club to-
morrow, = go home to my moth.
er's-youll see her there"
As his hanson drove off looked
after my bright, cherry, lucky friend,
just entering life with . newly-inher.
tied fortune. Reggy Gardner was q
typical young Englishman, broad
shouldered, sturdy. fair-haired, gray.
eyed, and beaming with health.
Snakes, as I suppose you know, de-
cline to accept food which they have
not killed themselves. The serpent
mind seems to obtain unmixed satisfac-
tion from the terrors of its victims.
Neither the anaconda nor the common
boa kills its ducks and rabbits, doves
and guinea-pigs at once.
They are like wicked lawyers who
keep their clients about them, pretend
ing that they never mean to swallow
them, estates and all. Now and then,
long before the fatal blow is struck.
the victims discover their danger, and
then it is dreadful to watch their terror
develop and grow into madness. The
melancholy cries of a couple of fowls
could be heard in the serpent-house at
the Zoo. The crowd of lockers on
were breathless watching the futtering
OF dove which one of the serpents
had just seized and the death agonies
of rabbit which the rattlesnake. poked
up by the keeper, had kindly bitten.
Pitiful tragedies were being enacted in
every cage. On the score of science
people 60 Fridays to see the reptiles
fed. Prof. Huxley does not lecture in
the snake-house; he would probably
say some bitter things to the morbid
audiences which collect there Twas
about to seek the intellectual refuge Of
the lecture-room, when the face of q
woman arrested my attention.
It was Q cold, cruel. beautiful coun.
tenance, classic in its severity, with
blue eyes, and lips that had no red in
them. The nose came down in q
straight line from the low forehead,
and was chiseled at the nostrils. The
mouth was rather contradiction to
the other part Of the face. 1t was SEN
sual, yet without touch of the gener-
osity that sometimes modifies the sem
sual so much that we only call it SEN
suous. Madame's eyes were not look
ing at me. They were fixed on the an
aconda, which had Just uncurled itself,
and was sliding towards . couple Of
fowls that were retreating before it.
Suddenly, from On expression OF in
tense expectation, the cold, cruel face
was lighted up with anger. The next
moment fan was dashed against the
glass to urge the birds into the Jaws of
the serpent. Madame was tired of
waiting for the end. A thrill Of indig-
nation ran through me.
This is no place for ladies'" said
aloud to the keeper, that she might
hear me; but she continued An unre-
strained and active ally Of the serpent,
intent upon forcing the tragic destiny
Of the imprisoned birds.
Then, all Of sudden. there was q
hurried movement of the snakes, .
dutter OF feathers, and an expiring cry.
The anaconda had begun to feed.
Madame gave . little sigh OF salts
faction, and, casting frigid glance ct
mo. moved away. Then ! found she
Wa not alone. Her cavalier was = for
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