The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-08-07
Noi Arrtp otrire



Cleveland - SNAKE Charmsi
a little bciotc s O'Clock ,ltufda,
evening a ncaro man o,ci .lA feet BOZ
height Of some GOO pounds weight
and popofiiouaie', muscu.br cntcf,d
the White House and demanded an
interview with the President Aooofd
ing 10 bis statement be had something
much more serious the matter with him
than a thirst ior office Ills voice was
filed with anguish as he recitcd how
he had been employed at the Execu.
tive Mansion by President Grant how
while drawing his salary and accumu.
laling fat he had been hoodooed, and
how this cnchantment had taken The
horrible form OF reptiles embedded and
lively under the skin.
Il has one snake in mer foot he
said, ian | calls him Peter; dar's an.
uder in mer lef' breas' an | calls him
Moses. As fur frogs an lizards, so
many on 'em runs aroun' IN mer lef'
laig dat amt got no time to name
EN-. Gln'u Grant sent me down
Souf fur to get de cham wicked of
an de people sent me on to Spain.
Pres dent Cleveland am de only man
what kin fetch EN- outn me. Whah is
he at ?
Officer Hardy, one Of the Metropoll.
tan policemen regularly detailed at the
White House, told the strange visitor
that the President had gone out Of the
snake-charming business temporarily,
and was not IN town anyhow. The
negro, who had interjected a statement
that his name was John Stevens,
reached out for Hardy. Officer Parker,
who was standing near, took a hand,
and the fun began. The negro be-
came maniacal The two men opposed
to him are by no means children, but
for quarter Of an hour he gave them all
they could attend to.
His "wind" was remarkable, as dur
ing the entire struggle he did not cease
III lIlOinCill W yen AZ NilS WI VI NO
voice and swear with a huency and
completeness that proved that he had
lived in more than one country,
whether Spain is on the list or not.
They got him out on the portlco a wild
tangle of legs and arms and lungs, and
he got himself back inside with appar
emily little effort. The performance
was repeated until the officers began
to think that they had died and had
been sentenced to wrestle through all
eternity with an ebon phantom filled
with snakes, frogs, lizards and every
other reptilian thing in creation.
The snake in his left foot seemed to
have gifted him with surprising supple
ness: "Moses," who dwells in his left
side, had added eeliness to him, and
every one of the frogs, too numerous
to name, had lent him the power to hop
about like an insane jumpingjack.
When the contest was at its height,
Secretary Thurber came down stairs
and said
"What! what! what's the matterP
The afflicted African instantly
stopped his terrific yels for "Gen'u
Cleveland" and looked at the secretary
in an aimless and stupid manner. The
moment, however, that the latter began
to ascend to his room he began with
redoubled ardor, and the fun was once
more fast and furious. In the mean
time another of the employees had
rung for police wagon, and it came
Stevens by superhuman efforts was
loaded into it. It's only occupant
other than the driver, was Officer
Gaucher. To him the man with the
hoodoo transferred his attentions
They had it all of the way to the Thirc
precinct station. 1t took half of the
force to land him in the cell, and al al
early hour this morning he was still de
handing admittance to "de only maj
what kin fetch 'em out'n me"