The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-11-18
A Snake Story.

"a friend of mine, says Pike coun-
ty, Pa, man, ''who lived back in the High
Knob country, captured 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 swallowed it. The egg was
just on the eve of Matching, and the chick
picked its way out Of the egg as it lay in
side the snake, and not finding daylight
yet kept on picking until it had picked a
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 protuber
ance. My friend didn't interfere, curious
to see what the result of that singular
companionship would be. The chicken
and the snake grew very fond Of one
another, and it was worth farm to see
EN- go to sleep together, the snake turn
ing 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 Ikea
weed, and along toward the end of sum
mer 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
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.
"0ne day along in August the snake
and his friend were taking nap. Pres
emily 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 incl
pent wings, is always a heartrending per-
formance; as this rooster couldn't use his
wings his first crow was real spooky. The
snake woke up with start. He 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 the yard as if he were
: flying from an avenger. He came to a
0 stop by and by, but glared wildly, and
e painted like hot dog. The chicken seem
: ed to enjoy the performance hugely, and
r while the snake was still trembling, he let
go another crow.
!. "Then the snake discovered where the
$ queer noise was coming from, and he turn
+ ed a look on the chicken that was terrible
It in its responsibilities. The young rooster
n would have done well if he had needed it,
n but he didn't. He stretched his neck as
# high as,he could and crowed again, square
u in the snakes face.
II "The snake struck at the chickens head
C but missed it. The chicken got mad and
i clipped the snake in the head with his bill
d And then it went They tumbled and
!, fought around that yard for five minutes
Then they suddenly became quiet. The
| snake had got the chickens head in his
mouth and swallowed it, neck and all. He
}. had killed his friend, but had checked
# himself to death in doing it,"