The evening times., 1896-01-12
SNAKES Ills 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.
AVS WITH AN ANACONDA
New York World.


On the top floor OF the irregular ram.
shackie building No. 10 West Fourteenth
street, is a tall, thin young man. pale and
holiow-eyed, with Paderewski hair. who
mas fondness for the society OF snakes.
The young man is an artist. His name ia
Frank n. Highly, and he is from Boston.
He says serpents first began 10 tenpt
him about four years ago. He began to
make collection of them then and he has
added to it until he has as fine lot of
cobras, boa constructors. bull snakes and
gopher snakes in his studioas a hard drinEer
would care to see.
Mr.. Higby's studio is such a place an
would make a New England housewife de-
sire to die. But what it lacks In point or
order 1t gains in piciurcsquencss. In The
middle of the room is a low plush stool with
gilt legs. There is also 4 Louis XIV table
and on IT yesterday was a small demijohn.
| An easel with the unfinished figure OF a
| woman stands in the center OF the room
Against the rear, by way of background, is
| a tent canopy, and under il 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.
| Under the mantelpiece stands an iron
cage, in which Mr.. Highly sometimes keeps
his cobra di capello, the star Of his rep
tiiean collection. Above the cage OH the
| Inantelpiece grins human skall.
In the corner near the door is a seven
foot iron cage like a butchers ice box,
in which Mr.. Higbys pets live. There
are four compartments on four floors, the
boa-constrictor, by right of his seniority
and superior caste, occupying the parIor
floor.
I'm sorry my pets can't lie SO enter.
tanning as usual today said Mr.. Highly
pleasantly to World reporter. Fact is,
most of them Ire suffering from the extreme
colh- Trilby-that is my gopher snake
has bad attack OF catarrh. Caught cold
while Size was posing as Il model. TIE
cobra, too, is not SO well as / could wish
| to see him. l have built a wooden box
| for him under the floor, where he is out OF
| harms way. But it is trinc cold down
| there, and unless the man underneath keeps
the fire going I'm afraid the cobra will die
Mr.. Highly tempted the cobra To appear
bydargling 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 Il lean, scaly
head dart up md the fangs close or Tie white
i>mouse.
| He fooled Inc 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. Well
have to leave him. But let me show you
| some other snakes"
| He took from the big cage dirty yellow
reptile a bout four feet long and another coal
black. He said they We're from Florida
| The yellow snake sprang ut him. missed his
The black snake he placed aroInd his neck.
| where it hang. its head over one shoulder,
4 he tail over the ether.
Placing the black sf:c Se on the floor. Mr..
| Highly took Up u mandolin aid thumbed
| the strings gently.
l-,~..Sometimes." he said, ''this one viii
dance. Bit 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 OIL the
floor 1t started on rapid exploring tour.
Highly. 4 towel over his hand 10 ward off
the poisonous fangs, pursued on all fours.
There was lively game OF hide and seek
around tables and chairs until at last the
man Eau ght the sna ke by the tail and carried
IL. squirIning, back to the cage
Trilby, repuisive looking black snake
of the gopher species. laid its ugly head
lovingly beside its masters cheek when
held up by him. The big boa-constrictor
simply coi,ed itself il the middle OF the
floor and b!inked up at Highly. rs IL 10
say, Really. it's too cold To wriSgle."
IF l should put that fellow around my
neck said the young men, "he would
choke me to death in five minutes.'
There WAS Il knock. and dainty bru-
nette young woman entered. She was a
model. Mr.. Highly greeted her as
Fanny" and said: "Show Us how you
hold Triiby.''
Certainly" she responded. whcrcwith
she took the snake and let it coil aroJnd her
soft. warm neck. Mr.. Highly showed how
Trilby world kiss the skull on the mantel.
and then the snakes were returned to their
cage.
1t is strange how habit viii grow
on one" Mr.. Highly said as the reporter
started 10 go. II am SO fond OF these
creatures now that / could hardly bear
TO part with them. Some day, when they're
in better shape, I'll make the cobra dance
TO the mandolin for YOU"