The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-20
A CURIOUS FRIENDSHIP.
How a Snake and a Rooster We're
Wrapr Up in Each Other.
The Attachment Was Harmonious Untu
His KOOsteriets Found He Could Grow
A Yarn That Would Give Munchau-
sen Paag OF Envy.

snakes don't grow very big up our
way" said ex-Shcrif Warren Kalama-
zoo Ridway, of Pike county. Pa, to a
New York Sun man. but they grow
uncommon smart. I've seen 'em do
lots OF cute things, the most of which
have kept to myself. because / have
always been on good terms with my
neigh bors, and my business is such that
l can't afford to have them weaken in
their confidence in me-they, like all
Pike county folks, being simple and
unsophisticated and unable to appre-
ciate the fact that truth is stranger
than fiction. am getting along in
years, though, and | don't feel like
passing away without putting on rec
ord at least few of the evidences of
live up our way.
"A friend of mine, who lived back in
the High Knob country, captured .
young blacksnake once and made q
pet of it, The snake got as tame as a
kitten and had the run of the premises
One day he got egg hungry, and he
stole an egg from under setting hen
and swallowed it. The egg was just
on the eve of Matching, and the chick
picked its wa V out of the egg as it lay
inside the snake, and not finding day
light yet kept on picking until it had
picked hole through the snake and
stuck its head out. That was as far as
it could get. and there it stuck The
snake didn't like it at first, but by and
by the novelty of the situation seemed
to strike him, and he grew proud of
that strange living protubcranee. My
friend didn't interfere. curious to see
what the result of that singular com
pauionship would be. The chicken and
the snake grew very fond of one an
other, and it was worth farm to see
'em go to sleep together, the snake
turning its head back and smuggling
down by the chickens head. The
snake kept the chick well supplied
with food, catching flies and worms
and insects of various kinds, and pass
ing them back to the chicken by the
hundred. The chicken grew like
weed, and along toward the end of
summer the blacksnake's body was
pouched out like a small hand satchel
where the chicken was spreading out,
and the latter's neck stretched nearly
six inches above the snakes back. 1t
was the funniest sight you ever saw,
and touching too, the two creatures
dotted on each other SO. But their end
was sad.
''One day along in August the snake
and his friend were taking u nap.
Presently the chicken woke up,
stretched his neck to its full length,
and got rid of its first crow. The first
crow of a young rooster, even when he
has the aid that seems to be in the
Topping of his incipient wings, is al
ways a heartrending performance. and
as this rooster couldn't use his wings
his first crow was real spooky. The |
snake woke up with a start He looked !
wildly about. He was scared and no
mistake, but finally made up his mind !
that he had been dreaming. and set |
tied down to finish his nap. He had |
scarcely closed his eyes when the |
Young rooster, encouraged by his first |
attempt, stretched his neck and tried /
his voice again The snake jumped as |
much as ten feet, his eyes full of ter /
ror, and sailed around the yard as if !
he were flying from an avenger. He /
came TO q stop by and by, but glared /
wildly and painted like hot dog. The |
chicken seemed to enjoy the perform |
ance hugely. and, while the snake was /
still trembling, he let go another crow. !
''Then the snake discovered where |
The queer noise was coming from, and /
ne turned look on the chicken that |
vas terrible In its Representatives, |
The young rooster would have done
we'll if he had needed it, but he didn't. +
Ie stretched his neck as high as he /
could and crowed again, square in the /
snakes face.
The snake struck at the chickens |
read, but missed il. The chicken got
mad and clipped the snake in the head
With his bill. And then it went They |
umbled and fought around that yard
or five minutes. Then they suddenly
became quiet. The snake had got the
chickens head in his mouth and swsl-
owed IT, neck and all. He had killed
lis friend. but had choked himself to
ieath in doing it.