The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-13
RATTLESNAKES HIS PETS.
THEY ARE AFFECTIoNATE AND GEN-
TIE, SAYS LEROY GEORGE.

ADAp - NASO /
NE Mas ips RattIesnakes. and Plays with
Them without Fear-They Are Much Na-
IhEned Creatures. ne says, Not Dangerous
Aner Their Confidence HAS Becn Gained.
Los ANGELES, June Elf young Leroy George
is right, the rattlesnake is the most misropre-
scented and maligned creature on Garth. He Is a |
young man from San Diego county, whore he
has spent all his lite on n ranch, blue-eyed and
frauk.faccd. and thinks no more OF letting o
dozen rattlesnakes climb all over him than an
other would of playing with a pet poodle. He
says that snakes are Just MS capable OF feeling
and showing affection and gratitude as any
other animal. He has \ barrel full OF rattle
snakes. an even l2s. and for tho last week no
has been showing how much they think OF him.
He kept his snakes In u room over in Pasadena,
which had In the centre q rough board Enclosure
about Eve feet by three and waist high. In
that he stood bare-handcd. In his shirt sleeves,
surrounded by his snakes, apparently the hap
piest. sereuest family in existence. The mass of
reptiles crawled md wrie sled all about him.
covering tho floor everywhere, winding about
his legs, twisting themselves about his back
and arms and neck. II a visitor asked TO
sec tho poison faugs OF any particular serpent
George took the snake in his hands, pried open
its mouth with his fingers, and with n toothpick
showed the deadly tangs curled back against the
poison shcs In the roof OF the mouth.
One day a spectator doubted that there were
1873 ~rattlers, and the boy with his foot carefully
pcraped the snakes away from one corner OF the
pen and. picking them up one by one. dropped
them into the cleared space, counting rs he did
20. He plunged his bare hands fearlessly into
the mass OF crawling bodies, waving heads. and
rafting tails. soiEing hold Of them anywhere.
by neck. body. head. or tail. as was most con-
venient. II any OF them tried to crawl out Of
the corner where they were placed he struck
them gently over the head with his open palm
and made them stay where they were put.
He handled them as II they were 90
many newly hatched chickens and paid not tho
least attention to their protests OF open. kissing
mouths and buEzine rattles. Some OF the specta-
tors could not endure the sight. but hurried away
in alarm. The next thing the boy did was to sit
down on the floor he had cleared and lean his
head and shoulders against the two-foot pile Of
kissing ~rattlers In the corner. somewhat as Kip
ling's Mowgli supported himself against the coils
Of tho python when the two held a confidential
talk. A half dozen snakes slid out from the
wriggling mass and George picked them
up. unbuttonod his shirt and thrust
them into bis bosom. where they coiled up
against his flesh. to warm themselves: Others
thrust out their heads from the pile behind him
arms, and they seemed to like 1T. He picked up
tuhed Others into, his pockets. Then he
teased those in his lap by poktng one finger
ipsory. .hf The ssTesn,s sP 6a1ue tht their seG rats1es In and g
Missed. and the others. joining in the excite
% Pnem so sounded Isi their u alarms ar : ,sn also, until H. the noise
tors had to raise their voices to enable one an
other TO hear. After he had reused them to
stopped rettIinT. shut their mouths. and snug
gled up to him in calm contentment.
his eek and arms and legs, empticd his pockets
and bosom. brushed them out of his lap. and
chatted with the lookerson. AS he talked the
%rattlers craylod over his feet, wound them
And he took out a bag Of tobacco and a package
OF cigarette papers. rolled and lighted a chg.
s sse, , s ss II Ss sRe9 iS% nS nos BEEN ss eH 1Ssss. q oe sas
of the pen, he would strike 1t with his open palm
There's no mystery about. my influence over
these rattlesnafes," he said. Eve found out
rabbit. II It sets acquainted with you and Knows
that you are not going to hurt It Anybody. any
these eu snakes cps' II "e %oa had the 1o nerve SaSS t to g do Il and
would let the snakes get used to you frst- lam
jus; Ss:s'e sss % .s my F'i Hs9s. 'a sSi no ONE y q. sae% an. Hss
No Souh Dai'kiia 4 SIou e I0n &. '' sees. :nsss ; Sns
s ssiisyo :: led q ns Rs'i fer n at 4 /. !e Va. s nsee. . 40
sas sl.ps under 4 teSt o. snakes one ntshs r.: |.
s sss :: e sSe d io.ea ~ s:. ss's %sil 's slsess.o f. f. s S! asa
dootoring her q little Aimee. and shS really seems
~ ;:!3l s: s,: ~ 4 tx. z:s 81! 's:' !! '' f'at IN: s:s sss ' sss ' ss'
Two Dig seyen-toot ~rattlers had had q misunder.
standing and were waving their heads back and
their tails at each other. George struck each
one gently with the palm of his hand, separated
them in anil dir ere9l p eornefs e ese the a p %omf Entirely IIs
mollined. they ceased their signals Of war and
began crawling in and out among the other
Snakes often coil and try to strike me" the
young man vent on. before I get acquainted
any OF them in an hour or two. How do I do 1t
On, Just petting and coSIing and carcssing
Of a dog that was afraid of you. OF course, they
are likely to use their weapons until they ind
get confidence in me i have TO look out for my.
self; But there's nothing undetermined about q
coil and rattle like the devil. bis mouth viii be
open HnG his eyes will snap; y always shows
WHICH is only about four feet.
II had always felt Just as nearly every one
does about snakes up to one day last winter,
when I caught two rattlesnakeS at a mining
camp near Yuma. icaught them with a forked
the next morning j was awakened by one OF the
s sRs. solemn S1aT irn1s. 1 f' sSin{ f6 asssiy @ aIed Ps Of tltr +.
kept perfectly still and held my breath fol
% Snis : . 9sS h .sso hGsf'' a shSash 1 tA Ss' s sssi'
. dragged its entire length across my
neck. Then 1t crawled under my blanket. coileC
up on my chest. and went to sleep. One OF the
burros had gnawed at the wire cage until tn,
+ door came open. the snake had crawled out, and
fTnwlng across me- had decided that under m!
in. for, a snake does like to DO warm and com
. Portable as well as any cat you ever saw.
, AS soon as ] had time 10 think and get M
, breath again ! grabbed the thing around tn,
neck. jumped out Of my blankets and ran out o.
, the tent Then / didn't know what to do. for / wa
afraid to let go for fear Il would strike me. Blu
/ knew IT. couldn't hurt me as long as / had holo
OF Its neck, even IL It's tail was switching anC
slashing around my legs and body. So jus
kept hold and examined 1t good all over, and a
last ! began to try to mako friends with 1t. b,
. that timo I had got over my scare and didn'
feel afraid any more. ooaxed and petted 1t AM
gathered ia body up into my lap and covered 4
up with q blanket. and at the end Of two hour
. that snake and ! wero good friends. Two got 1
: with me yet and II has never offered TO bite me