The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

the boudoir of the fashionable San Fran
clscoenne, has come-what do you sup
pose?
Y A snake. And rattler at that.
Not alIve-oh, dear mol But safely done
into belt that eneircles my lady's waist.
be 1t svelte or otherwise shaped; Tor the
good rattlesnakes, like the good Indians,
are happily dead ones.
After all it is but natural that woman
should be responsible for his snakeshlps
ris. in the world. A snake and woman
played notably important roles some
centuries since in the Garden OF Eden. 1t
was the reptiles good luck that Eve had
not her modern sisters craze for novelties
in the way OF apparel. Had she been as
frivolous in matters Of dress as are we. her
Californian descend ants, in alLllkei lhood
she would have coaxed Adam to sIay the
serpert and ever thereafter would have
worn the scaly skin of him around her
waist.
Over in Oakland lately specimen Of the
genus Crotalus ventured into the drawing
room OF a house where lived young lady.
He was annihilated for his pains, but who
shall say that the tragedy was accidental? :?
Possibly aware OF his skin value and per-
haps tired of life, he may have offered
himself up a suicidal sacrifice TO the
reigning fad.
OF course the articulated horny cells
attached TO a rattlesnake's tail, the very
sound of which will raise hair on a bald
head, are not utilized in the making of a
belt. That would be carrying realism a
bit too far. Nor does the fair wearer
aspire TO his personal capture, either dead
m hiF1oa
ably by proxy. thank you. Then she
must go to a worker in leather before she
can wear the strip of stiff, shiny, cracking
stuff that once harbored as deadly a l!y-
ing thing as ever carried venom to the
veins of victim.
1 know a woman who has fancy for
horned toads. Fancy, did 1 say? She
loves them; raves in riotous admiration
of the bakers dozen that sleep, boxed in
sand, in her boudoir, and expects me TO
enthuse over them, too, whenever l
wander into her prettily appointed
toaderv. Yet she impressively assures
me that she wouldn't wear a snakeskin
belt for $40 day. Bless her little toad
loving heartl l would wear two of them
for $500 month.
The unitarian possibilities of the Cro-
talus now being realized have developed a
new industry that may be shortlived, but
that benefits while it lasts, and if money
can be made with rattlesnake help ] say
that the horrid monster has not lived in
vain. The country seller places whatever
valuation he chooses upon his prey. A
majority of the defunct rattlers that come
10 town, however, are souvenirs of the
summers outing, or a gift from some one
who would fain perpetuate his victory by
adorning woman's waist. People who
chance TO number a cowboy or two on
their acquaintance list are just now culti-
waiting the connection assiduously. Cow
BOYS have such excellent opportunities for
snake scrimmages.
One of our society girls at the springs
paid a country lad $40 the other day for a
fine specimen found crawling near her
hammock. He put the half-eagle to senti-
mental use by going straightway TO town
and investing it in a ring for his sweet
heart.
While some skins are more mottled than
others, and there IS q noticeable difference
in the shading. the markings are always
diamonds ped. the squares diminishing
until they terminate Gnily in the tail.
Slate color predominates, with dashes OF
yellow and iridescent bits, but the scales
fall very easily, and friction means ruin.
The unused portions are converted Il TO
purses and cardcases.
Two Mexicans in this city are kept busy
preparing the skins by secret process
The skins are then lined with tan leather,
turned toward the outside of the belt and
machine-stitched down an eighth of an
inch. The favorite fastening is single or
double cinch of leather, the strap being
drawn through rings exactly as horses
saddle is cinched.
There's wild Western bar rbarity about
these belts that particularly appeals to
Eastern women. A Gotham heiress, who
came hither a-pleasuring this summer,
has had superb clasp made to order by a
leading jeweler, for what she terms a
snake beauty" from Colusa County
Her San Francisco hostess has had a
similar clasp made, her belt having once
crept over the alkali in San Joaquin
County. These clasps. which L examined
this week, cost 500 apiece. The design is
coiIed serpent of richly tinted oxidized
gold, set with jewels. The head Of one
elitters with diamonds. the basilisk eyes
are rubies, and in the tail are i'm bedded a
dozen olivines representing rattles
These olivines, by the by, are beautiful
green gems of recent popularity, much
lighter in color than the emerald. Clasps
may be had from $40 upward.
The largest skin yet handled at the
saddler came from Yuba County, meas
uring nine feet in length and fourteen
inches in width.
A word of warning, my dears: To the
rodent palate there is no delicacy like
unto snakeskin. Hang your belt where
it will not be likely TO serve as midnight
feast for marauding mice. In that case I
fancy you would be about as badly fright
ened as if his snakeship were to come to
life and rudeIy rouse you from your
dreams.
To glance at the newest and most elab-
crate designs in iswelry one might reason
ably suppose that their makers were
simultaneously suffering from delirium
tremens, for the trail Of ths serpent is
over them all. Rings writhe fantasticaIly