Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-06-28
HoKE TELLS A SNAKE STORY.

the Atlanta Journal, stock raiser and
ex-Secretary of the Interior, as he dis
mounted at the railroad station in A.,
lanta, Ca, last week on his way to
Washington, to which city he has been
N 4king tri-monthly visits for year.
TIE original Possum Fat" co.,
tnued the corpulent and perspiring
Mr.. Smith, was killed recently by
shufu penetrating his breast, thus hori.
zontalizing MS perpendicularity"
Hoke then proceeded tu arrange his
luggage, which consisted of jug,
,ox OF lunch and valise. Turning
The horse over TO boy, after explair-
ing that the animal had cough, he
eutered the train the unnoticed, the
plain Mr.. Smith. On ea'ing himself
N the Pullman smoking room he slap
ped at buffalo gnat.
big as mosquitoes" said a man
from New Jersey.
mot quite" responded the ex Secre-
;ary, who twinkled his eye in a manner
that indicated he was in a prevaricat-
,ng mood. II was in lower Florida q
few weeks ago aud stopped with fami
jy whose children gathered mosquito
Eggs as large as cocoanuts. They ar
o4latable, and are looked on by the ma
ives as we look on potatoes"
The other occupants OF the compart-
,nent, at this auecdote, felt as one does
IN an elyator when it lowers suddenly.
However, mosquito stories began, each
Dan trying to Guido the other, until
ome one discovered that the fat man
vas Hoke. Politics and the Cuban
question were then broached and Mr..
Smith was asked incidentally why he
resigned from Grover Cleveland's Cabir
net previous to the close of the admin
istration.
"Well, every member of the Cabinet
had different views than mine on the
money question, so it was not only en-
barrassing but Notifying to be COM
PEELED TO associate my views with theirs
under such circumstances. Besides,
the Atlanta Journal had gone in debt
$50 900, my stock farm lacked atteu-
tion, and | was losing money. Now,
day the journal is out of debt, my
law practice was never better, and am
nappler out OF polltlCs.
His self satisfied smile convinced his
hearers that he did not care to discuss
poll les further, so at this juncture the
Jug was passed around, containiI 6, so
Mr.. Smith said, Georgia bultermllk."
A small quantity of water was alter
ward drunk and the subject of war was
brought up. The tortures of the re-
con centradoes were discussed, when the
ex.Cabinet officer grew reminiscent,
smiled, aud proceeded:
"Theie are dangers in Cuba that one
hard realizes. Our soldiers will
b. exposed to the dangers OF
the deadly upas tree, as we'll as the
rubber snake, a water reptile, that
grows almost as large as the boa con-
strictor. When I was boy | accom-
panied q party of engineers to the
southern coast of Cuba. We landed at
Jucaro and proceeded to march along
the banks Of the Cauto river to La Fun
Ia. To pass several lagoons 1t was
found necessary to take mountain paths:
soon grew accustomed to the sight oil
sIligators, snakes and birds of the trop"
ics. but had heard nothing of the rub
ber snake. Presently my attention
from the upland path was drawn to
bull that had waded into pond TO
drink, a sudden splash was heard, The
animal savagely beloved, and furious
" backed out of the water. A huge
snake had fastened it's fangs in the
hull's nose and was being drsgged from
tbs water. The snake was fully twelve
feet long. The frightened bull con-
linued to back, when suddenly the rep
tile coiled its tail about the trunk OF
small tree, and permitted the tugging
animal to stretch the snakes elastic
BODY to length OF about twenty i've
feet. A noise as if boulder had drop
ped in bed of clay was heard, and the i.,
hull gave vent to death below as It's
carcass sank to the earth. The snake
had relaxed its coil about the tree. Its
elongated body spriuging into the bulls
skull with such velocity as to crush ana
Kill! it instantly.