Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-05-29
SAVED BY A COBRA.
The Almost Miraculous Preserva-
 tion of Child's Life.
rome serpent struggles with the yenomous Intruder That " ""S About to Attack Little
 Indian Baby.
tcopyright 1888 ]

of yenomous reptiles suliclSnV
 drive all the Spaniards out of Cuoa' II international law did not forbid sucn mode of warfare, has often told me +bat. though serpents may easily oe tanned by one who understands thelh nature. they cannot be made 10 sno" any sign of affection for the tanner Their intelligence is low. he main ans and their moral capacity absolutely nii. They are fond of their food. but they never seem to recognize the hand that brings if. He even doubts whether they distinguish one human being from an other.
 The following story-related as fact, but upon what authority am Gn- able to state-stands in direct contra diction to this theory; indeed, 1t at tributes to the serpent degree ot sa- racity and devotion to it's master not surpassed by the faithful dog. can not vouch for the tale, butitis extreme ly interesting, and if true will compel a complete reversal of our judgments of serpent character.
 Of all thel snakes that swarm and wriggIe and make life q burden in the infested tropics, the cobra is one of the most detestabe and deadly-in the wild state, at least; and the idea of tanning such reptiles would hardly recommend; itself to most people. They are as venomous as the rattlesnake, and some times grow to a length of six or seven feet. Their appearance is repulsive in the extreme, especially when they rear the head in anger, distending the mot tied neck until it is as fiat as your hand. They have no warning rattle, unfortunately, but their hiss is ealcu- lated to unnerve the bravest. Thou sands of persons in India fall victims to their terrible fangs every year. Such is the cobra; yet the jugglers do tame them. and 1t is of cobra that this strange story is told:
 4 ehild-a mere baby-had strayed some distance from the camp toward the jungle. There. under q tree, he found a covered basket containing tame cobra of unusual size; but. being the son of a serpent charmer. he was l it in the shade, was soon fast asleep. While he slumbered a wild jungle snake-another eobfa-came gliding out of the shadows in search of frogs and mice At length, in the course of l its sinuous quest. it reached the child -an intruder in its domain. the repre- l sentative of hated raee-and quite helpless. The horrible creature reared it's head, spread its scaly hood and emit ted yindctive hiss. At the sound of it the little boy shrunk, even in his dreams; he stirred uneasily and thrust out with his chubby hand, striking the cover. which had not been properly fastened. Then he lapsed back into the deep slumber of tired babyhood.
 But the jar of the blow on the basket had thoroughly aroused the tame ser pent within. She heard the threaten ing hiss and knew it's meaning, for it's language was her own it was as when a native servant overbears her un- tanned fellow tribesmen plotting to murder the babe which he has in charge. Suddenly the loose cover was flung off; she, too, had reared her head. and, hissing out her answer to the chal- lenge, wound her way to the uncon- seious baby's feet, where she faced the enemy with dilated crest and fickering tongue.
 There was moments pause as the two frightful reptiles, veritable basi- lisks in aspect and so like that each seemed the mirrored reflection of the other, swayed in passionate anger from side to side, watching like wrestlers for a afavorable opening, Then, with flash of darting fangs, too swift for the eve to follow, they closed and began to writhe in mortal combat. twined To- gether like a snarl of living rope. Doubling and twisting and contracting. strainiHg and swaying with all the power of their India-rubber muscles and savagely gripping with their 7enom-laden jaws, they slid about in lInotted, palpitating coils close by the sleeping infant; and for a long time neither was able to gain the mastery so equally were they matched in strength. in quicllness and in cunning No battle of dragons could be fercer or more hideous.
 Meanwhile the baby had been missed and the little camp was all astir. The mother was frantic-she knew well that children who stray on the borders ot the jungle are rarely seen again-and the men ran back and forth in what seemed a hopeless search.
 At last, however, the panic-stricken father deserted his boy, still sleeping by the empty basket, his baby face up. turned in sweet inconsistencies; and scarcely two yards away was the writhing tangle of serpents, flashing the earth in the throes of their final strug. gle. They were almost exhausted now As the poor juggler ran. breathIess and aghast. to the rescue of his child. be saw the grim coils loosening; before he could reach the spot the reptiles had dropped apart, and one stretched its limp length upon the ground, quiverina in the a ponies of 1aa4b 0,-a,, .4