St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-23
A SNAKE STORY.
1t Beats the Best Effort of Frank
Ostrander.

Ostrander.
"Snakes don't grow very big up our
way" said eX- Sheriff Warren kalama-
zoo Ridgeway, of Pike county, Penn
sylvania, to New York Sun. man, "but
they grow uncommon smart. Pve seen
'em do lots of cute things. the most of
which have kept to myself, because l
have always been on good terms with
my neighborS. and my business is such
that l can't afford to lave them weaken
in their confidence in me, they, like
Pike county folks, being simple and
unSOphisticated and unable to appre-
clate the fact that truth is stranger
than fiction. l am getting along in
years, though. and don't feel like pass
ing away without putting on record a
few of the evidences of genius l have
seen in the snakes that live up our
way.
"A friend of mine, who lived back in
the High Knob county, captured a
young black snake once and made pet
of it. The snake got as tame as kitten
and had the run Of the premises. One
day he got egg hungry and he stole an
egg from under sitting hen and swal-
lowed it. The egg was just on the eve
OF Matching and the chick picked its
way out OF the egg as it lay inside the
snake, and not finding daylight yet kept
on picking until it had picked a hole
through the snake aud 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 the strange living
protuberance. My friend didn't
Interfere. curious to see what the
result of the singular companiouship
would be. The chicken and the snake
grew very fond of lone another, and it
WAS worth farm to see 'em 20 to sleep
together, the snake turning its head
back and smuggling down by the
chickens head. The snake kept the
chick we'll supplied with food. catching
flies and worms and insects of various
kinds, and passing them back to the
chicken by the hundred. The chicken
grew like weed, and along toward the
end of the summer the black snakes
body was punched out like a hand
satchel, where the chicken was spread
ing out, and the latter'S neck stretched
out nearly six inches ABOVE the snakes
back. 1t was the funniest sight you
ever saw, and touching, too, the two
creatures doteu on each other so. But
their end was sad.
OiS utlH diOliB Ill AuSuSG Uu6 SHAKE
and his friend were taking a nap.
Presently the chicken woke up, stretched
its neck to its full length and got rid of
Its first crow. The first crow of young
rooster, even when he has the aid that
seems To be III the Topping of his in
cipient wings, Is always heartrending
performance, and as this rooster
couldn't use his wings his first crow
Was real sDooky. The snake woke up
with start. ae looked wildly
about. He was scared and no mis-
take, but finally made up his
mind that he had been dreaming
and settled 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 terror,
and sailed around that yard as il he
We're fleeing from an avenger. He came
to stop by and by, but glared wildly
and painted like a hot dog. The chicken
seemed to enjoy the performance hugely,
and while the Shake was still trembling
he let go another crow.
"Then the snake discovered where
the queer noise was coming from, and
he turned look on the chicken that
was terrible i'll its expenditures. The
young rooster would have done well if
he had needed it, but he didn't. He
stretched his neck as high as he could
and crowed again, square in the snakes
face.
The snake struck at the chickens
head but missed it. The chicken got
mad and clipped the snake in the head
with its bill. And then it went. They
tumOled and fought around the yard for
five minutes. rnen they suddenly be
came quiet. The snake had got the
chickens head in its mouth and swal-
lowed it, neck and ALL He had killed
his friend, but had choked hims elf TO
death i'll doing it,