The Red Cloud chief., 1888-09-07
AN INTELLIGENT SNAKE.
4 Story Whose Truth II y0uched For By
y Reliable Journal.

4 Story Whose Truth Il vouched Fol By
= Reliable Journal.
An American lady from Virginia was
spending some time in Paris, says Harper's
Y0un0 People, and one day was asked to 20
with some French and English friends to
the Jardin deS Plantes. After wandering
about for some time in the gardens, it was
suggested that they &c round by tho SER
pcnt house. The lady from Virginia, who
had an uncOnquercble dread of snakes of
all kinds, objected ;ongiy, but findingthat
the rest all wantc,i to 90. and yet were
too polite to leave :.cr behind, she at last
consented. Once -.caS the row Of cages,
however, she bC I'd the others to 20 on
and see what they wanted to, leaving her
to wait for them there. One English lady
preferred remaining behind also: so, after
some little talk. the two ladies were left
standing at one side of the first cage,
where glimpses of a torpid looking snake
from beneath the folds of an Old blanket
on the floor of the cage had been enough to
brighten both ladies' from going any far
Their. Tho conversation untll now had been
entirely in French. but as the rest of the
party moved on, the two left behind began
talking in English.
With the iirst words the English lady
spoke the torpid snake began moving un-
easily. AS tho Virginia lady answered her,
and went OH talking III some length, the
snake grew more and more restless. till
it finally showed every sign Of intense ex-
element.
Evidently saiu the English lady,
''that's q snake who understands English"
They laughed u little and moved away,
the dreadful head pressing so near the
wires OF the cage unnerving both ladies' for
. longer stay. But as they came out in
front of the cage, and looked UP to the Ia
bel to see what the creature exactly was,
they read, to their establishment, CSotalus
VyUiniensis, or Virginia rattlcsnalse"
"Think of it!- exclaimed the American
lady; she not only knows English, but he
recognizes my Virginia dialect"
The whole affair seemed SO urcanny that
they began to think they would rather move
and join thsir friends. The gentlemen,
however, when the story wa told, were SO
anxious to see the experiment themselves
shat the American lady consented to con-
Quer her dread again, and go back to her
first cage.
When they reached i: the snake wa
again lying :orpidiy on the tloor. CONVEX
OosNcA "ec cSOGA Ah ~ HtitS ASpHuAJ
and very loudly, TO sec whether it would be
aroused by the mere noise.
1t paid no attention TO them. however, till
the English lady spoke IN her native tongue,
when the slight rc5.lessueSS at once began
again; and is 500: az the lady from Vir-
ginia had uttered 4 fcw sentences the crca-
was evidently f~G:ioGs, rousinS itself
with sucn baici1l i;-c il its narrowed eyes
stat the nerves o. the :.,y could bear it 70
longer, even il the interests OF science. and
ohe beat 4 retreat.
She was urged to go 10 TIC Garden again
and again b. scientists anxious to make
every experiment possible, but she found
herself utterly -l.5-c 20 f!ce the creature,
sven with iron bars ana wire bctTeon
She assures me thai the whole party SAID 1t
sras impossible 70 douot but that the rattle
snake did recognize the language and the
dialect.
The strangeSt part oil such g thing would
naturally be that the ratt.eSnale, u!..ike
Rny domestic animal or bird. COLD rot lave
heard much talk from tI:Ea2n bC:E.S, owing
10 the secrecy Of its movements and tho
Obscurity OF its haun:s. Whatever reco,-
of the language i. had carried with
It across the sea when it WIS sen to Franco
must have come from that one encounter
with Virginians when il was captured. lis
very evident association with the Virginia
accent being one to enraSe it beyond meas
IRE.