Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-12-24
OHAS. HIGBY'S SNAKES.
They Crawled About in His New
York Studio
while Their owner Was HI In the Hos
pitRI---A snake Charmer Put Them
Hack in Thetr Cages.

While Their owner was HI In the Hos
pitRI---A Snake ChRrmer Put Them
Hack in Their Cages.
THE New York journal tells the story below
about the peculiar pets owned by former Brat
leb1ro boy, who has won his way to a front
place in the list Of black and white artists. and
who has a monopoly in designing programs for
the theatres OF New York city. Highly was
thought to be seriously IN last summer but i'm
proved rapidly during tstay of few weeks at
Halifax. A short time before this article appear
ed his Brattlehoro friends were informed that
he had gone to a hospital
In his studio, which illness has compel
led him to abandon for a while. Charles
II. Higby's snakes are desoate. They have
crawled on the East Indian carpets, which
ne has bought expressly for them.
They have wound around the long copper
rod of his antique music stand, in pairs,
and formed the caduceus which the en-
Chantment of his heratic tunes played on
a flute and the hypnotism of his large,
piercing eyes made them form often.
They heN' Missed till the neighbors of
the stu iof " ic is on the top Of the house
at No 10 ( st Fourteenth street, have
shiVfS51 complained, called Tor snake
eASS or a snake hunter lhey are Tie
b-s.-that is. the most venomou'-snakes
which person who was not Of their coun-
try ever gathered.
Highly became familiar with them IN his
triyels. The snake charmers taught nm
how TO catch them, how to make OF them
familiar companions. he likes them ana
they return ms affection
They lick his cheeks with their torked
tongues He makes them pose as he
wishes. as long as ne wishes. They eat
beside him. lie had prepared a festival
for them on Wednesday. To this festival
wherein he would have played the part OF
the host and entertainer at once, since he
only knows what diversions snakes like. ht
had invited painters and black and-whltt
men like himself.
They do not all have his affection for
snakes. but they would not be artists II
they did not all share the admiration which
the colors of those singular pets inspire
On one skin are 10 be found all the coloT'
OF the rainbow, solid as metals, transpar
ent as precious stones, iridescent as opal'
in the sun.
Highly could not give his festival. In
tiammation Of the lungs brought him a
the last moment to the New \ ork hosp
tai.
No one dared to enter his studio. But ,
snake charmer came yesterday who knew
as well as Highly, how to catch vipers a
the back OF the neck with handkerchief
and throw them into cages.
They are IN their cages. which line &
wall of the studio, under an admirabl,
japanese umbrella. near a mantel on whlcl
is bust of green bronze, with eyes OF
FURNISHED silver, that impresses one as tn,
head of a rebel on a Moorish wall
In this studio. ornamented with paint
ed wax figure, the expression OF which j:
anguish. winged Eros, the mouth O
which is strange exotic flower, statuette'
of an unhealthy, maladlve art, ancien
pieces Of furniture and carpets, and al
covered with gauza that complexities thu
objects with mysterious charm, Highly
has painted water colors OF passable i'm
pOrtance.
His admirable mother, patient in spit
of his eccentricity, sits in these surround
ings, forming with them a contrast that
romantic painter would wish to reproduce