The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-04-10
ABOUT SNAKES.
The First InstalIment of Reptile Stories
for the Season of 1886.

for the Season of 1856.
A woman living at Reno, New, has
inst been relieved of four snakes, which
were growing fat in her stomach while
she grew thinner and thinner from day
to day. The largest of the reptiles is
said to have been three feet in length.
While entertaining some callers re-
Gently, Il Georgia lady picked few
roses from bush in her garden and
was bitten by a diminutive snake which
was coiled around a bud. Further
search revealed colony of small rep
tiles which had taken refuge in the
rosebud during the recent blizzard and
were just awakening from their torpor.
After having been treated for years
by the best physicians for internal
pains which were thought to be
produced by cancer in the
stomach, the wife of a Cleveland
contractor has just been relieved of
small but vigorous lizard by an Indian
medicine man belonging to st. Nav
ier's mission, in Arizona. The reptile
was of a species common to the East,
and it is supposed that twas swallowed
by the lady while she was drinking at
brook near Phillipsburg, n. S., years
ago.
Mr.. A. H. Cooper, Texas farmer,
walked into the office of Dallas news
paper and, unwinding a yearling rattle
snake from his neck, offered it in part
payment of his subscription. 1t is said
that Mr.. CoOper's weakness for rattlers
which, by the way, is inherited, has
grown on him to such degree that the
bric-a-brac which adorns the interior of
his cabin is made up to a great extent
of the fangs, rattles and stuffed skins
of departed pets. The yearling in ques-
ton was the first offspring of a once
highly priced RATHER, which died few
months ago to the owner 5 great sor-
row.
That great sea mystery, the great sea
serpent, has apparently Just made its APP
pearance in South African waters. Ac-
cording to late mails from Che Cape the
huge monster was recently observad in
Morewood's Bay, Umhlali, by eight or
nine people. 1t was first seen seven
or eight miles from the shore, swim
ming in a very erect manner, and APP
parently proceeding at the rate of
eight or nine miles an hour. Occasion
ally it plunged into the water, making
a noise as if sea were breaking heav-
liz on an open shore, and flashing the
water into foam for yards around.
Fins like immense oars protruded
from all sides. Its length was COM
puted at from ninety to one hundred
and sixty feet.
Workmen who were engaged in TAX
ing up water pipe at Bullville, n. Y,
recently came upon nest of thirty
five snakes of different kinds and sizes.
The reptiles were torpid and were east
ly gathered into bag and stored away
for future use. Later in the day the
same workmcn discovered colony of
rattlers near deserted spring and put
them in with the other snakes. In the
evening the bag with its contents was
taken to the village tavern and placed
on the kitchen range to thaw out,
while throng of men, each armed
with stick, eagerly awaited develop
ments. Soon the heat had its effect
and suddenly the mass of struggling,
writhing reptiles broke from the bag
and darted wildly around the room,
where they were soon dispatched.
Only one of the men was bitten, and
snake-bite cure soon healed his wound.
-CleUeland Leader.