The morning call., 1894-05-03
FRISKY SNAKES.
Enliven Things Around
Mount Hamilton.
The Adventures of Jake Wandell
With His Ophidian Reptiles.
What Prof. Holden Saw.

Jake Wandell of Mount Hamilton is in
town. To those who have visited the
summit of the dome-crownPd mount that
overlooks the Santa Clara Valley Jake is
about as well known as the great telescope
itself, but to the uninitiated it is perhaps
as we'll TO say that Mr.. Wandell is Just
about next to the oldest inhabitant in the
cloud -belea CURED region from which he
halls. In fact, none of the hill settlers re-
member Jake's advent there, and all Jake
himself will admit is that Mount Hamilton
was there ahead of him. His residence is
about three miles beyond the observatory.
but his address is Mount Hamilton and
whenever he comes to town he so regis
tiers.
AS an oracle on the weather. crop pros
poets, hunting and the like Jake is rec
ognized authority and be has peculiarly
characteristic way OF expressing himself
and impressng others with certain phases
of life in the hills.
For years he has had one hobby abnOr-
mally developed and that is that Mount
Hamilton and the vicinity is the home of
a family of gigantic snakes. Once year,
with charming regularity, Mr.. Wandell
runs across one or more of these Ophidan
monsters, ana for some tire afterward his
representations have decidedly snaky
tiDge.
A CALL representative discovered this
last evening in endeavoring to obtain some
views If prospects and affairs generally
around Mnnnt Hamilton.
Crops" Queried the genial Jake In re-
Spouse TO question, why, bless you, as
far as the hills are concerned / think we
shall do all right Certainly we needed
more rain, but we didn't get it. so sbo,
We'll just do the best we can. But speak
ing about damage to the crops. why lack
of rain amt in it alongside of the pesky
snakes that are around again. ! saw the
same reptile t'other day that come mighty
nigh doing me up last year and running my
squash crop"
"How was that?
''Why, you see. had my squash stacked
up and covered with brush, and bout the
middle Of winter noticed the brush sag
ging like and | looked into it, and hanged
if nigh about half of 'em were gone.
Couldn't make out what had become of
'em. Thought I'd watch, and that night
1 caught sight of snake about eighteen
feet long gliding down the side of the
mountain like a streak of lightning.
II could see something bright yellow
between the brown folds of snake shining
in the moonlight. What do you think it
WIS? Four big squash. The snake had
its body wrapped around 'em somehow
and held 'em so they could ROLL and there
he was enjoying a toboggan slide down
dash. When he got to the bottom he'd
crawl up and start another four squash
going.
II fired at him and scared him off. and
when / went down to the foot of the
mountain there were all my squash, little
bruised, but still good. 1 carried 'em up
and put the whole lot under cover"
Then Mr.. Wandell paused to light a
cigar and gaze quiZzically at the Motel
clerk who was listening.
Did you have much snow on the noun
tains this winter" was the next query.
why, yes. quit smart sprinkling dur
ing February. But speaking of those
snakes again. Do you know what hap
pened t'other day as | was going to tell
you. l was just going over to the obser-
vatOry to see Professor Holden and the
first thing l knew / met that same gol
darned snake right in the middle of the
road. didn't have my gun and the snake
knew it. so he just charged at me. Didn't
have time to think hardly. His mouth was
as big as a washbasin and L could see
down his throat.
rail and in the nick of time | damned it
down that snakes throat. Kinder sur
prised 1t, you see, and it wriggled off with
its head about four feet off the ground and
the rail sticking out like mast.
''But the cuieness Of that snake. | just
watched il. Do you know what he did
Why, hung himself over the limb of a tree
and ratified his carcass until the rail
dropped out. Then he scooted. On, those
snakes are fiendish."
Then Mr.. Wandell shook his head SOL
EMMY at the recollection.
yes, can't deny that the squash crop
will be large this year and fetch good
prices, cause. you see. hay is so plaguey
high. and-but now let me tell you what
another snake just like that Other did.
You see. Professor Holden was taking an
observation one evening and that cursed
snake just reared itself up against the side
of the big dome and looked down the
scope at him. Jewilkins! you"
But just then there was crash in the
direction Of the elevator, and in the rush
to see what caused it Jake and the re-
porter got separated.
The elevator man had been listening to
Jake and had fallen in faint on the floor
of the cage.