The morning times., 1896-01-12
SNAKES His STUDIO PETS
Highly Couldn't Get Along With.
out Wriggling Companions.
PLAYS WITH AN ANACONDA
Fanny and Trilby Are Two Fa-
vorities-Both Splendid Speci-
mems of Their Kind.
PLAYS WITH AN ANACONDA
New York World.

New \ Ork World.
On the top floor of the irregular, RAM
shackie building No. 10 West Fourteenth
street, is tall, tnin young man. paIe and
hollow-eyed, with Paderewski hair. who
| has a fondncss for the society OF snakes.
The young man is an artist. His name IA
Frank y. Highly, and he is from Boston.
He says serpents first began TO tempt
him about four years ago. He began to
make 4 collection of them then. and he has
added TO it until he has as fine lot of
cobras, boa -constrictors, bull snakes and
gopher sna kes in his studioas hard drinEer
would care to sce
MI Higby's studio Is such a place as
would make New England housewife de-
sire 10 die. But what 1t lacks in point OF
order 1t gains in picturesqueness. In the
middle of the room is a low plush stool with
gilt legs. There Is also n Louis XIV table.
and on II yesterday was small demi John.
An easel with the unfinished figure OF a
woman stands in tho center of the room.
Against the rear. by way of background. is
tent canopy, and under it n broad rush
couch, such as Queen Eliza beth might have
slept on. On the wall are swords seine
tars, shields, ETC., of the kind affected By
young artists.
tiANNA Ni4N i4'hhttlPtNNt su IRON
cage, in which Mr.. Highly sometimes keeps
his cobra di capello, the star Of bis rep
tilean collection. Above the cage Oh the
mantelpiece grins human skall.
In the corner near the door is a seven
foot iron cage like butchers ice box,
III which Mr.. Higby's pets live. There
are four compartments ON four floors. the
boa-constrictor, by right of his seniority
and superior caste, occupying the parlor
floor.
I'm sorry my pets can't bc 50 cntcr-
tanning as usual today said Mr. Highly
pleasantly to a World reporter. Fact is.
most Of them are suffering from the exireIne
cold. Trilby-that is my gopher snak ke-
has bad attack OF catarrh. Caugb; cold
while she was posing as model The
cobra, too, is not SO well az / could wish
to see him. l have built Il wooden box
for him under the floor, where he is out OF
harms way. But it is i triflc cold down
there, and unless the man underneath keeps
the fire going I'm afraid the cobra viii die
Mr.. Highly tempted the cobra To appear
hydangling 4 whitemouse froma string over
the hole i'll the floor, from which he re-
moved the covering after turning back the
carpet. The reporter saw lean. scaly
head dart up and the fangs close on the white
mouse.
He fooled rne that time" said Mr..
Highly. Il wasn't quick enough TO get
the mouse away. That cobra gives a bite
warranted to kill in twenty minutes. Wen
have to leave him. Bat let me show you
some other snakes
He took from the big cage a dirty yellow
reptile a bout four feet long and another coal
black. He said they We're from Florida.
The Yellow snake sprang at tim. missed his
aim. and then coiled itself around his arm.
The black snake he placed aroInd his neck.
where 1T hung. its head over one shoulder,
the tail over the other.
Placing the black snake on the floor, Mr..
Highly took Up mandolin and thumbed
the strings gently.
-s-'.Sometines." he said, This one VIII
dance. Bat it's no use today; too cold"
From the second floor OF the cage a
yellow ard black monster nearly eight
feet long. was taken. When placed on the
floor il started on rapid exploring tour.
Highly. Il towel over his hand 10 ward off
the poisonous fangs, pursued on all fours.
There was Il lively game OF hide and seek
around tables and chairs until at last the
man eau ght the sna ke by the tail ana carried
IL, squirrning. back to the cage.
Trilby, repuisive looking black snake
OF the gopher species. laid it's ugly head
lovingly DeslGe ltS master : CueSk NEcn
held up by him. The big boa constructor
simply coied itself il the middle of the
floor and b!inked up at Highly. as II 10
say. Really, it's too cold TO wricgle.''
If 1 should put that fellow around my
neck" said the young men, "he would
choke me to death in five minutes"
There was a knock. and dainty bru-
Dette young woman entered. she was a
model. Mr.. Highly greeted her as
Fanny" and said: "Show Us how you
hold Tri!by.''
Certainly" she responded Whcrewilh
she took the snake ana let it coil around her
soft. warm neck. Mr.. Highly showed how
Trilby world kiss the skull on the mantei.
and then the snakes were returned to their
cal &c.
1t is strange how n habit viii grow
on one" Mr.. Highly said as the reporter
started TO go. Il am so fond of these
creatures now that / could hardly bear
TO part with them. Some day, whcn they're
in better shape. I'll make the cobra dance
to the mandolin for YOU