The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1886-07-31
A Sight Which Sent Cold Chills e ~
Hearts Of All the Spectators-A BOZ
of Hideous Reptiles Under wondsrfsa

tions may do their best, may toll and strive
| end xack their victims as they will, but wheD
it comes right down to shaking marrow out
of Zones, loosening teeth and nails, and then
calmly introducing fever beside which the
interior Of q coke oven seems Siberia-why,
then, Arkansas chills have a walk-over for
the Derby. No sun baths here
"Let as go and see the snake charmer, said
the native. "Arkansas produces the snakes,
Mississippi tho negro"
No need to question the first statement e
there is any species Of snake not common In
Arkansas he is yet to be heard from. They
are everywhere, Of all kinds and sizes, Of an
degrees Of venom. In the bayous they may
be seen anywhere by hundreds and thousands
On the prairie they lurk under every shrub
and bush. In the forests they are numbeTless.
Not q mile from here in o little pony bayou,
may be seen enough snakes any day to stock
all the museums in the country, with few
car loads over for export. Its not considered
much of a place for snakes, either, but Q
fairly good fishing ground. where catfish
reach f1ve-pound notch, and game fish arc
occasionally taken. When the long-legxed
native, however, spoke Of colored snake
charnler, this was something worth looking
into.
A DRAMATIC Effect
Not having any acquaintance with tho
blacks of Mississippi could not question his
word, but that any negro would handle Q
snake seemed incredible. Arkansas blacks
will kill thern-n their poles are long enough.
But to touch one-never. To produce dra-
matte effect In a crowd Of blacks, young or
old, male OF female, introduce ever 80 smau
snake unexpectedly. There will be ono Wild
whoop, eyes will bulge out In terror, jaws
will fell like a trap door, there will be
vision Of vanishing legs and ankles-then tho
experimenter is sadly alone.
All this as we stroll up to investigate tho
mississippi charmer. The wonder proved q
reality. He was leaning against the leo Of .
drug store, surrounded by circle Of the
curious, both black and white. He wao
nearly full blooled, tall and angular His
jeans were worn and decidedly dirty. On his
head was q torn and nuch-faded felt hat,
relic Of the storms and sunshine Of many sea-
sons. His movements were awkward, and
altogether he would be thought the last In
diyilual on earth to rival the fabulous snake
-charmers of the east Yet, standing there in
the sunshine. he gave such an exhibition a.
sent cold chills to the hearts of all the spects-
tors. To white man not having a inboFn
horror of snakes-n there be such q one-hi
final act was sufficient to make the flesh creep.
Evidently he was no Arkansas native. Thoae
who were about him preserved respectful
distance
STOPPING over small box on the ground at
his side the disreputable-looking cha1mer
raised the lid and exposed his collection
There were three black snakes Of the species
found in Pennsylvania, each some three fest
In length; one king snake, q mottled green
serpent nearly as large, and snake tnown
heEe as the water rattlesnake, of dark brown
color and perhaps eighteen inches In length.
This snake is said by the blacks to be very
poisonous. However that may be, Il was
enough for all purposes When the lid was
raised there were exposed no stupid, half
awake, inert serpents. Five heads shot into
view, five forked tongues darted out, and
and there was falling back of the crowd.
Slowly one of the black snakes raised himself
out Of the box and giided gracefully away O.
tie ground.
"Heah yo'!" spoke the charmer aWar YOU
goin's Yo' done git back yer to dis chile"
UNDER PERFECT CONTROL.
AT this word the snake stopped, wheeled
around, approached his captor and coiled up
his leg and about his body The other snakes,
excepting the smallest, came out OF the box
at the word and followed the first All over
his body they went, their eyes flashing, their
tongues darting back and forth continuously.
They twined about his neck, rested. on his
shoulders, hung about his arms, and but for
erect heads and constantly playing tongues
seemed perfectly at home. Ono by one they
would be put on tho ground and start away
only to stop at the word. Hung over the bog
they would maintain one position until told
to move They seemed under perfect contEo.
and for nearly half on hour entertained and
horrifie.i the rapidly growing circle of spec
tators. Then the Mississippiun pat away the
bfg fellows and took out the water rnttle-
snake. 1t WAS his final act There were no
words Of introduction, no mumbling invoca-
tons OF notices that at tho conclusion of this
entertainment It the hat would be passed He
talked to the snakes US he might to children.
petting and abusing.
The new snake was q decidedly lively one,
q foot and half long, as said, and Of good
thickness. It was as wide awake as any Of
Its predecessors more vicious in appearance,
if anything. 1t did all ttIat they did, then
coileel on the fellows shoulder He took it in
his hands, and-tireat Scott!-deliberatcly
crowded it into his mouth. 1t was a capa-
cious mouth BY tho side of it even Billy
Kersands pride would bo thrown into
shadow. The lips closed, and the ungainly
black apparently masticated the serpent,
while the crowd st-od awel by disgust and
horror. Slowly his bps opened, as when one
exhales the smoke of choice cigar Quick
Us fash the snakes head shot out, its tongue
a darting fame, its eyes cleaning wiekcdly
1t gradually pushed its body into sight, slip
ping down on the blacks shoulder. and coile,i
as if to strike; then, at the word, returned to
the box. The effect Of such all unnatural cx-
hibition was startln. il, tbs extrcnc-rcvolt-
ing beyond description.
Il solemnly swear said an Indiana gen.
tleInan, as he turned away, IF bad a gun
I'd shoot that negro i'll q second"
ut take, a Mississippi negro tc do tho like
of that" c;ll.ily observed the native, as ho
SHE'D Il dime into tho battered hat, now il.
active circulation
40 God" exclaimed the char4nt.r, when a
question was raised as to the ve,omo,l. char
ettr "f the last snake, -yo go iet. b yu .aw..
yo uns. let UNI bite, an 1t d..t vcl dawS
bent plumb stun dcd III hour, gives y.3
dis yer box o sa,pcnts ,.ocs-
As to the secret Of train,i.the f.~2ol
we'll trained they wcre-tl,c Mi 81 . =, 4
obstinntely dumb. And ~ -
brought, he went his way. -