The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-05
HE FOOLED WITH A SNAKE.
Young David Burns Won't Tease
Copperhead in Hurry.
From the Nelc YORK SD

From the Ne1 ORR SruF.
| Prof. Donald Burns the great wild ami
NAL dealer in Roosevelt street, who imports
every hing, from monkey to an elephant
and a crocodile to a kangaroo, started some
| weeks ago on an excursion to the country
! with boa constructor. he and the boa
were making their annual fall visit to the
country fairs On leaving Prof. Burns in
| trusted the kangaroos, alligators, birds,
monkeys, chimpanzee and snakes-all the
wonders which his store, No. lis Roosevelt
street, contains-to the care of his son,
DAVID Burns, a young naturalist ~ years
old.
The other afternoon David entered some
monkeys on the day book, watered the ALI
gators, fed the South American tapir up
stairs, signed receipted bill for half dozen
hyenas, and then thought he would have
some fun with the "new snake" This
new snaken was little, but it was sassy"
1t was one of those venomous copperbeads,
and it had been brought from the south by
traveller and given as present to long
shoreman. The longshoreman offered to
sell the copperhead to Prof. Burns. Young
David Burns advised against buying it, but
Prof. Burns, who Is looking for rise in the
snake market, decided TO invest in the cop
perhead. The temptation to tame or to
"break inn the new snake was strong, be-
cause it was the only snake i'll the shop that
| no one could handle.
The reptile lay i'll glass case, its big
golden eyes tinged with red, It's two en-
venomed fangs hidden fir III sight; nut
brown in color, with bars of dark brown, a
tail with horny tip-the most venomous
American serpent, except the rattlesnake.
Young Burns raised the lid of the case and
snapped his handkerchief at the copper
head. 1t was like waving a red flag at
bull. The handkerchief annoyed the snake,
but at the same time blinded him so that he
was powerless Burns had enjoyed himself
before by swapping the handkerchief at the
snake, and did not consider that there was
any danger in it,
As the boy again snapped the piece of
linen the copperhead darted his head like
flash. He missed the handkerchief, but
struck his fangs INTO the forefinger of young
Burns left hand, making wound between
the first and second jofrts. sharp aid
intense pain ran through Burns baud and
arm. He knew what to do at once. In less
than half a minute after he had been bitten
by the poisonous reptile he had string
tightly drawn and tied around the base OIL
the forefiuger to stop the circulation of the
blood between the finger and the hand and
arm. Then ne dipped his finger into a
measure of whisky and held it there. Next
he called an assistant in the store and
sent him to the nearest saloon for bottle
Of whisky. Young Burns drank about
pint Of The liquor and said that he felt
better.
Upon the advice of the assistant the boy
went to the Chambers Street Hospital al
most Immediately. The house surgeon took
knife and made five long and deep incisious
in the wounded finger each time cutting it
the entire length from the base to the tip.
SO intense was the pain of the wound, and
SO considerable the added pain Of ne cut
ting, that Burns tainted away when the
first incision was made. The finger was per-
mitted to bleed freely, and, after being
properly washed. was bandage1.
Burns was asked by the surgeon to re-
main In the hospital but he insisted on going
back to look after the store. He was al
lowed to go back only after signing state
ment that he left against the advice of the
entire medical staff of the hospital He
promised to return if his finger should be-
gin to swell When he went away the pain
in his hand and arm was intense. Though
he drank a good deal of whisky, it did not
seem TO have any Intoxicating effect on
him. He stood the pain without wincing,
and his friends commented on his pluck with
praise.
After being bitten he wished to kill the
copperhead snake, but didn't have time; but
the days of that copperhead snake are num-
bered.