The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-07-14
LITTLE MlTCn-S SNAKE.
a South Dakota Chtld's Strong AHectioa
For . Pet Rather.

4 South Dakota Child's Strong AHectioa
For . Pet Rather.
A remarkable instance of deep;.feo-
ton for each other between a child and
snake is to be seen at Winters Cross
ing. a small hamlet lying nine or ten
miles south of this place.
Some time ago James Robinson, Q
small farmer, living at that time near
Midtown. some fifty miles from Minter's
Crossing. found his little son. aged six,
playing with 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
z 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 SO alarmed was he at the friend
ship which he regarded almost in the
Light Of 4 bewitchment OF the evil one.
that he sold his farm at Midtown and
bought the one where he now resides.
near Minter's Crossing. in hopes that
the child no longer having he play.
mate win him. would forget his extra
ordinary love for it.
They had been established in their
new home a couple of months and we're
beginning to believe that the plan had
proved efficacious 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 a dying
condition. He seized . stick and was
about to hasten its departure. when lit
tie ''Mitch," as he is called, perceived it
also. and with . cry of delight ran to
it The creature raised its head at the
boys voice. and as he knelt by it wrig-
gled up his body. disappear ng in the
bosom OF his shirt. mitch" then 10y
ously informed his father that his
snake had come, and hurried OF to re-
vive it with milk.
He asserts positively that it Is the
same snake he loved at Midtown, and
his father is equally sure that it is, 80
the poor creature must have travelled
7 forty miles in search Of its little friend. |
After this extraordinary proof Of its
love and fidelity, the Rob nsons 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 fam ly, 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 mOles:ed.
The story of the singular friendship,
which apparently partakes of the mi
raculous, is vOuched for by reliable citi-
zens at Minter's 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 70 put
them in his own mouth, and when
Mitch" goes to school goes also, nut on
condition that he does not leave the
book satchel, from whence his fiat head ]
with its bright eyes can be seen occa-
stealing out for sly look at
his friend. Maxwell Is d. Cor St
Louis Globe Democrat