The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-30
A Rattlesnake Eater.

Moses Henderson is sable son Of
Africa and lives two miles from Amer
icus in rocky field, where rattle
snakes are most plentiful. Moses
makes q living by capturing snakes
and selling them. Whenever he cam
not sell them he eats them. This is
the truth, as strange asit may seem,
aays the Savannah News. Last week
he billed large one with eleven rat
Ties on it. ''cchis was a fat snake and
Moses ate it. The other clay he
brought very large snake to the city,
trying to sell its hide. There we're
txenty-three rattles on It. The snake
was very poor, and Moses said it
1 would not do to eat, and he stuffed its
! hide. and sold it for a good price.
Every year Moses; makes good deal
Of money selling snake oil. He says
right down the vertebr@ Of rattle
snake is fasty streak Of flesh that
makes an oil, when fried, that will
cure any case Of rheumatism. It is
strange 70 how many people he sells
this rheumatic snake oil. He has a
long list Of certificates from people he
has cured. Some Of them are from
intelligent whites. who declare that
{ tie oil has cured when all other rem
edies have failed. BE sells phial Of
the oil for 81 and guarantees lasting
cure.
Moses ssys his father was an Afri-
can heodoo doctor and taught him how
to care all aches and pains with snake
oiII The negroes Of Sumter County
venerate and fear him as my sterious
doctor who c,bn cure when all else
fails, and look upon his snake oil as
something inehanted.
As an appropriate climax to series
of experiments ID educating q monkey;
j. Z. Buck, now in Boston, will
! Try to make the monkey talk. The
animslis one Of the greatest curios-
tiles IN the sinian line ever seen. The
point to which his education has been
carried is wonderful. he rejoices in
the name Of Sambo, and is Bornean
DC the orang-outapg species.
Sambo eats at table with as much
complacenty al Christian, aud be-
haves better at his meals than some
Christians. Ia describing his method
Of teaching Salsho how to use spoon.
Mr.. Buck explained that he placed
Tie fcsi;s d . very deep cup. sambo's
natural intelligence at once showed
him the. use Of 3 spoon, but he at first
made the mistake Of bringing his
provender from the.depth Of the cup
BY means Of the spoon and then laying
1t down on the table to be grabbed in
his fingers.
Mr. Buck cured Sambo Of this habit
by placing q hungry monkey at the
table beside him. When Sambo would
lay the food down the hungry one
would snatch it away. After awhile
sSsmbo saw the point, and foiled the
thief BY carrying the food directly
from the cup to his mouth by means
Of the spoon. The accomplishment
once acquired there was no more trou-
ble.
Sambo was taught the value Of
clothing BY being left for time in
q cold place and afterward taken in
and warmly clothed. In this way the
advantage Of wearing clothes soon be-
came apparent to his monkey mind.
What caused Mr. Buck mos. per-
plexity was how to get Sambo to wear
a cap, for he seemed TO have rooted
eantipathy to any kind Of headgear.
The trainer was almost on the point
Of giving il up, when one warm day he
noticed that the flies were annoying
the monkey very much. When they
we're particularly persistent around
his head Sambo would pull up his
coat to protect his poll. Inspiration
came to Mr.. Buck. Daubing a little
molasses on Sambo's head, he left him
to be tormented By the flies for time,
and then placed q cap over his head to
show him she use Of the covering.
Ssmbo realized the utility Of cap at
once and has worn it without protest
ever since.
By these methods, and without the
use Of the whip that is considered 80
indispensable BY most trainers of ami
mails, Sambo's education wss carried
on.
He can dress himself without assis-
eance, putting on his shoes and stock
o.1v, 1ov ~