Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1892-09-07
A Queer Taste.

The old Romans had an adage which
reads, ''There is no accounting for tastes"
That this maxim is as true today as it was
when uttered 1900 years ago we see proofs
on every hand. The most remarkable ex-
ample that has come to my notice for some
time is that of Mr.. Higford Burr, rich
bachelor who lives in the midst of fine
park near Reading, in England.
Mr.. Burr's hobby is snakes. He matches
them out on his grounds, and as he will
permit none to be killed, and particularly
dotes on large and vicious reptiles, his
park is not a particularly attractive place
to his neighbors.
Mr.. Burr keeps frog pond, and it is his
greatest delight to watch the snakes hunt
ing for frogs.
Colonel Ewell, of Texas, CHANGED to meet
MI. Burr two years ago and they at once
became friends, and the American was in
vited to Aldermaston Hall, as the snake
lovers home is called.
to see the pond and the snakes, and his
opinion of the collection was asked.
"Wa-al," drawled the American, "I'll
SIGH as they are, but if you'll come over to
or two I'll show you snakes till you can't
rest, and they'll be snakes as are snakes. !"
"Bless meW exclaimed the Englishman.
what do you call those extraordinary
reptiles?" --..
dandy fellows we call copperheads; then
thar's moccasins, puff adders, pizen hoop
snakes and SIGH, but I reckon the boss
{I,o C1I =,
more particular when they git to be ten
feet long and bout as thick as your
thigh"
"Why, you excite my curiosity" said
the Englishman, "and if on your return to
Texas you could send me consignment of
the snakes you mention I should gladly
pay you whatever the expense may be.
But let me ask, do you think your Texas
snakes would get along friendly with their
English cousins?"
"Wa-al, that'n depend on how their Eng
lish cousins treat 'em. Our Texas snakes
are high toned and rather like fight, but
they never go out hunting fuss, that I'll
say for 'em," replied the colonel, who,
though not fond of snakes, felt that state
pride compelled him to stand up for the
Texas reptile.
Six months after that three frightened
men left a number of crates marked
"Texas snakes" at Mr.. Burr's mansion.
A letter had preceded the consignment,
and in it Colonel Ewell enjoined on the
Englishman to "treat the snakes kindly
till they got naturalized," and as he loved
his life not to take them to his bosom NOR
fool with their business ends"
The delighted naturalist took the crates
down to the frog pond and let the Kissing,
squirming creatures free. The snakes
were famished, and Mr.. Burr rubbed his
hands as he pictured them feasting on
frogs, but he was doomed to disappoint-
ment.
Instead of attacking the frogs the Amer
lean snakes started for their English
COUSINS" incidentally swooping in a frog
on the raid.
Three days after this Mr.. Burr's man
entered the library in great alarm and re-
ported that the American snakes had killed
and eaten everything in the pond, includ-
ing the ducks and young swans, and that
some of the larger ones had started after
the lambs in the park. s.
"We must keep the American reptiles in
separate inclosure till they get accli-
mated" said Mr.. Burr.
AT once every man on the place and
every man who could be bribed by double
pay to do the work started out with nets
and pitchforks to corral the Texas snakes,
but the snakes were not of the same way
of thinking. They invaded the neighbor-
ing farms and one entered the city of
Reading and frightened the people out of
their wits.
The magistrates had Mr. Burr arrested
for encouraging dangerous nuisance and
all the country was up in arms.
I am aware that this reads as if it were
fiction. but it is true in every detail, and it
was not till year passed and the climate
of the country killed the snakes that the
people near Reading breathed easier or
dared to venture out at night.
Mr.. Burr still cultivates snakes, learn,
but they are of the harmless English
variety.
For pear trees that bear poor fruit, try a
liberal dressing of wood ashes applied to
the ground as far out as the branches
reach over, and wash the trunks Of the
trees with strong soapsuds.