The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-02
SNAKE PLAYED THE ORGAN.
This Intelligent Reptile Was a Pepnsyl-
vauia Mountain Product.

wanna IIouuCI.
=. A party of musicians the ether day
We're discussing the question of the love
of music in various members of the
animal creation, and particularly
among snakes. The majority of thea,
denied that snakes in particular had
any idea OF music and secuted the thing
as absurd and Impossible when one
OF them offered to relate a story from
his own experience that would be con-
vfncing on the point at Issue. AS he
was reputed to be good story teller
his companions agreed to hear the evil
dence. however much they might doubt
the correctness of his theories.
Some years ago" said he. Il was the
organist in a little country church near
the Blue mountains in Schuykill coun-
~. The mountains were full of snakes.
used often to go out in the woods and
take my cornet along. just to have a
little music and practice by myself.
one day l was sitting on log by a
spring, playing softly and hardly think
Ing what I was doing, when suddenly
saw giant blacksnake very close to,
me, coiled up. swaying his head to the
rhythm of the tune. I am not afraid
of snakes, and knew this one to be as
harmless as a kitten, so l was more
amused than frightened. and continued
to play a variety Of airs for him to see
the effect. He appeared to enjoy 1t i'm
mensely, and when I played som athing
iiVely he would become almost delrious
in his gyrations. / concluded that IL he
mad legs he would surely dance, and as
IT was. his motions Were exceedingly
graceful and his ideas of time excellent
ms eyes shone with the pleasure 1t was
giving him, and his forked tongue fair
~ seemed to blaze in the ecstacy OF
MS enjoyment. Suddenly / stopped,
ana ne seemed a, very picture Of sad
ness ana disappointment. He crawled
up 70 me and asked me to resume just
as plainly as II he knew every word
IN the English language
1t suddenly occurred to me that il
would be an interesting experiment to
see II he would follow the music. So
got up, ana playing softly, began to
walk away: He followed me at once,
ana led him along down to the church.
Nhen unlocked the door he followed
me in without hesitation, and came
right after me UP into the organ loft,
| then tried him with the organ, and
ne was even more delighted than with
the cornet. Finding that he would
never get enough Of the music. / was
obliged to drive him away by main
force. The next day I went into the
church to practice, and had not been
long at it when heard rustic on the
carpet, and looking down, there was
his snakeship taking it all in; and when
| finished I had to drive him away
again.
by the next Sunday I had almost
forgotten about the incident. when iust
as we were in the midst of the second
hymn, | suddenly heard screaming
and screeching among the female mem
bers of the choir as II something were
scalping them all at once. looked I'D
just in time to see my friend the snake
disappearing, with a shower OF hymn
books and stools hurled by the male
members of the choir flying after him.
However he escaped, and I said moth
ing about my previous acquaintance
with the reptile. You may imagine
that it broke up the service for awhile
but finally everything Quilted down and
went on as usual.
After that the snake came again for
many weeks every time l practiced,
but it seems that he had become con-
WINGED that it was dangerous when 9TH
efs were present so he never again
entered the church during service.
though doubtless he was listening at
safe point outside.
Soon afterward members of the
church reported that they had hearu
mysterious breathings of the organ
at night in passing the church, and in
CURED whether / was practicing
assured them that I was not. This &C.
CURED several times, and as 1t aroused
zeal OF comment and some Of the
more superstitions began to whisper
that the church was haunted and that
tne spirit of a former organist was at
the bottom of it. AS the mystery was