Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-04-10


baggage room of Hamburg steamer
and was looked after by the attendants
with a caution which amounted almost
to reverence. Once every week in the
summer they are fed, but during the
cold weather once a fortnight is often
enough. They had had their last meal
about two weeks before and had been
showing signs Of hunger for two or
three days. 1t is said that snake only
moves for three causes in the world.
One is because it is angry, another is on
account OF hunger and the thirds be-
cause it can't help itself. When you see
python crawl uneasily around his cage,
rearing his broad head in the air and
tapping the the glass sides OF his cage
with his restless, red tipped tongue, you
may make up your mind that he is look
ing for meal. The largest snake and
one of his mates had been crawling
around his cage for several days.
"You won't have to wait long for 'em
to feed to-day" said Keeper Hugh
Downing, who knows more about snakes
than most men of sober habits. For ten
years nearly he has fed the snakes all
that they have eaten, and when 1t comes
to serpent spreads he is an acknowl-
edged authority.
A LONG WAIT.
This was pleasant information. The
snake is very trying creature In its
habits. DR.. Conklin once attempted 70
watch python eat rabbit. The SER
pent was apparently hungry, but the
banquet did not attract 1t. The Doctor
therefore sat down near the cage and
asked the keeper to tell him when the
snake got ready to eat.
I'm afraid it will be some time, sir, v
said Downing.
al don't care. "PIl wait" replied the
Doctor Stubbornly.
About a year later the Doctor and
Downing were giving a snake a wal N
milk bath. After 1t was over pigeon
was put into the cage. A few minutes
later a messenger was despatched post
haste to the superintendent. He rushed
into the lion house.
Ibid you send for me?" he asked.
Eyes, SIR" said Downing with sug-
gestion of smile. "You told me last
summer to send for you when the snake
got ready to eat"
"Well?"
He's ready now, sir"
The snake had broken its fast OF one
year. 1t is extremely often the case
that snakes lose their appetites tenn
porarly, but year OF abstience is re-
garded as rather remarkable fast.
Most snakes that 60 without food SO
long time forget TO eat somehow, and
after a year and half's starvation they
generally die.
The artist took his stand in front OF
the cage, pencil in hand. One OF the
photographers, a professional man, 10
whom the Photographic Of snake
was mere nothing, rugged up tripod
back of the cage between it and the
wall. The other photographer was an
amateur who knew little or nothing
about snakes and was IN hurry TO get
through so that he could go to funeral
the same evening. He and his assist
ants pointed the barrel OF their machine
directly at the professional camera man.
Between them both were wad Of
snakes and two pigeons.
IN THE SNAKE CAGE.
However lively the snakes may have
been earlier in the day they were very
still now Perhaps the usual quiet OF
the hours during the day had depressed
them. The twin baby hyenas had been
the cause Of shutting the public out OF
the lion house, and the place had been
deserted save for the keeper and his
helpers. The reptiles were entangled
together in a confusion which was APP
parently hopeless. They seemed TO be
all heads or else all tails, according to
the spectators point OF view. The birds
hoped down fearlessly from their
perches on the snake tree, and bobbing
their heads in tune to their feet they
went mencingly over TO the Snarl OF ser
penis in the corner. There was no fas-
clnation about it. None Of the snakes
had its eyes open. No one had thought
even Of pigeon in its little, stupid brain.
The birds were simply curious TO know
what this great, glistening bundle was,
and they went over to it to satisfy
themselves.
Presently the white pigeon perched on
a projecting tail. At the same time a
head which was connected with this tail
stirred at the other side OF the tumble,
and then the tail wiggled. The pigeon
changed its feet, but kept its perch, and
the tail whisked back again two or three
times. The snake seemed TO be veXed,
but the bird was enjoying itself, II APP
pearances can be relied upon, in snake
cages. This commotion led one or two
other heads to be raised and a similar
number of tails TO show signs OF life.
Still the pigeon seemed TO like IL. After
five or ten minutes Of this RI OF thing
two Of the serpents began TO unite them
selves. This was a hard job, as there
were several bow knots TO be undOne,
and at one time it looked at IL there
we're only one tail between them. At
last they freed themselves and began to
crawl slowly and stealthily toward the
unsuspecting birds. The largest OF the
serpents was in the lead. He made di-
rect for the blue pigeon, which met him
more than half way. When he came
within reach the bird pecked unpleas-
antly at his head, making him dodge
and throw back his neck. The long
tongue began TO shoot in AID ont Of his
mouth with great rapidity and the gen
tie movements OF his tail became almost
imperceptibe. He looked one instant
at the bird and then lowered his head to
the ground.
Look out, he's going to strike!" some
one shouted.
A DIVERSION.
The professional camera man fired of
his flash light and took shot at the ser
pent and his prey. 1t was false alarm,
though, and after the smoke had cleared
away the witnesses turned their eyes
AGAIN upon the chief actors in this mini
III hnrrnnd L.