Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-10-09
LIT1Le MlTCH's SNAKE.

South uRkOtS ChkId's Strong Anect1on
 For Pet Raitler.
 A remarkable instance of Q deep affec- tion for each other between child and a snake is to be seen at Winters Cross ing, small hamlet lying nine or ten miles south of this place.
 Some time ago James Robinson. Q small farmer, living at that time near Milltown, some fifty miles from Winters Crossing, found his little son, aged six, playing with a large ground rattlesnake Mortified, he rushed to the child and tried to kill the reptile, which, however, succeeded in escaping, while the child, with much indignation, declared that he would not have the snake killed, for it loved him and was good to him. He was found caressing his strange pet again and again, and resisted any at- tempt to kill it with shrieks and tears. which caused his father to relent
 But 50 alarmed was he at the friend ship, which he regarded almost in the light of bewitchment of the evil one, that he sold his farm at sMilltown and bought the one where he now resides, near Winters Crossing, in hopes that the child. no longer having his play mate with him, would forget his extra ordinary love Tor IL
 They had been established in their new home a couple of months, and were beginning to believe that the plan had proved eff1cacious, as the boy, absorbed in the novelty of the change, only occa- sionally seemed to pine for his pet, when one afternoon Robinson, walking in company with two of his neighbors and his little son, saw a snake lying on the side of the road in apparently dying condition. He seized a stick and was about to hasten its departure, when lit tie Mitch" as he is called, perceived it also, and with a cry of delight ran to it. The creature raised it's head at the boys voice, and as he knelt by 1t. wrig- gled up his body, disappearing in the bosom of his shirt Mitch" then joy ously informed his father that This snake had come" and hurried of to re- vive it with milk.
 He asserts positively that it is the same snake he loved at Milltown, and his father is equally sure that it is, SO the poor creature must have travelled forty miles in search of its little friend. After this extraordinary proof of it's love and fidelity, the~ Robinsons say they have not the heart to forbid the companionship, so little Mitch" and his snake are constantly together, the reptile for the most part being twined about the boys neck or asleep in his bosom. Peter, as the snake is called, while evincing no particular fondness for the rest of the family, and will never approach one of them, lives in peace with them, but resents the advances of stranger by coiling itself in position to strike if molested.
 The story of the singular friendship. which apparently partakes of the mi raculous, is vouched for by reliable citi- zens at Winters Crossing, to whom the boy and his pet are familiar sights. Peter shares "Mitch's' bed, eats from the same dish, often playfully captur- ing morsels as the boy is about to put them in his own mouth, and when Mitch" goes to school goes also, but on condition that he does not leave the book satchel, from whence his flat head with it's bright eyes can be seen occa- sionally stealing out for a sly look at his friend.-Maxwell (S D.) Cor. St Louis Globe-Democrat