Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-08-31
CHARLES HIGBY'S SNAKES.
A Collection of Reptiles Are His
Companions

In His New York Studio---TIow Burg
lar was Frightened AwRy--The weird
and Uncnnny Effects which Mr.. IIig-
by Produces.
G. II. Highly, painter of the weird and
grewsome, has studio on the top floor of
10 East Fourteenth street, which is as I'M
canny as his favorite productions. On
Sunday night a burglar attempted to force
his way into the studio, but was deferred
when he saw Mr.. Highly lying in an alcove
surrounded by snakes, while several other
snakes were taking exercise on the floor.
The owner of the collection had put two
heavy trunks against a door while he was
arranging a new home for his pets. He
dared not make quick movement, as the
snakes would attack him. His only re-
source was to scream, and this he did until
assistance arrived. The burglar, who was
former model, made his escape. Mr..
Highly replaced the snakes in the den, and
then told his neighbors the reason for his
cutlery.
Mr. Highly is a Boston artist. His studio,
which is but a temporary affair, as he said,
is under the skylight. The glass is covered
with dust. Even on this he has traced
with his finger dragons, snakes, and dis
torted faces. In all his pictures there is
either snake or curve which suggests a
snake The walls of the room are covered
with iute artistically decorated. A wom-
ans skull covered with blond wig grins
at the visitor as he enters. The floor, the
divans, and the chairs are covered with old
rugs, whose figures suggest the mysterious
and the uncanny. About the room are
scattered chests, green with verdigris,
which have been converted into snake dens.
There is a constant kissing and scratching,
which is rather trying on the nerves.
Mr.. Highly is tall and thin, with a pale
complexion, heavy black hair and a som
bre mien. His hands are frail, with taper
ing fingers. He lives in his studio, with
only his snakes for companions. He de-
lights to pose his model in an alcove, which
he converts into a miniature stage, and to
obtain startling effects by throwing colored
lights upon her while she handles his
snakes. 1t is not an easy task to get a
good model who will handle even drugged
snakes or allow herself to be entwined with
reptiles, but Mr.. Highly explained that
times were hard even for models, and that
he has not so much trouble to obtain them
as formerly.
AT present Mr.. Highly has only IL rep
tiles. Two are boa constructors, one of
which is baby. He has an Egyptian asp
and mixed assortment of rattlesnakes and
copperheads. One group is family of
young copperheads, which he has raised
himself, ugly little reptiles, the sight of
which makes the flesh creep The canni-
bal snake is the king of the collection
while the schetopusk, which is said to be
ho1f 1,o1f
Mr.. Highly says his in the only one in the
country. Three were imported from south
ern Europe. One was purchased by the
park commissioners for the Central park
managerie, the second was retained by the
dealer, while Mr.. Highly obtained the third
Two have died, but Mr.. Higby's is lively
and eats an egg a day. Mr. Highly dis
sected one of these animals once, and
found that while the head and tail had all
the physical formation of snake, the
stomach and intestines were those of a
lizard.
The artist says that he delights to play
with snakes and mesmerize them, and that
he can obtain ideas from their movements.
The eyes and lines about the head suggest
to him characters and types of men and
monsters, which he works over in his pic
lures. He has handled snakes since his
boyhood, but has never been bitten. He
says his Egyptian asp would attack a
stranger. His favorite amusement is to lie
on his divan at night and allow his snakes
to Play about him. Occasionally he in
vites a friend and amuses himself at his
friends expense.
Every snake has his bed, which usually
consists of some article of clothing. Mr.
Highly shook a pair of trousers one day
and an eight-foot snake crawled out. The
smoking jacket he wore is usually occupied
by baby boa constructor, which is a
healthy infant about four feet long.
Mr.. Highly says that he is not of a mel
ancholy disposition, but that when he is
alone in his studio at night, with colored
lights falling on his snakes and skulls,
strange ideas fit through his mind. 1t is
then that he obtains his best material
While in this city he is associated with
Grace church chapel and has done much
work in the city missions.
The above article is from the New York