Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-28
KING HENRY is HAPPY.
Monster Python at the Zoo Enjoys q
Rabbit Fenst-1s Feet Long and
Weighs Over 100 Pounds.

King Henry enjoyed his first meal in six
weeks last midnight. He began his gas
tronomic exercise at 10 o'clock last evening
but two hours elapsed before the first NOR
sci passed into his alimentary canal. King
Henry is a snake, an 1S-foot monster whose
native heath is in an East Indian jungle
and he is wise and knowing monarch.
His muscular development is remarkable
and his devotion to his mistress, Mrs.
White who is temporarily located at the
Zoo, wonderful. In his periods of activity
he is as docile in her hands as child. She
bathes him often and watches his health
carefully. For King Henry is a great show
snake, a prizewinner and a moneymaker.
He follows Mrs. W hite about like dog
his great length about her slender form and
Misses jungle love tune into her ears.
Last evening as preliminary to the feast
then thoroughly dried. Although he weighs
over lUo pounds Mrs. White handles him
with ease.
she - placed la ed HIM hi around around her her" shoulders. Sue "or
course he is heavy. but l have handled
him SO often that do not notice it much"
Mrs. White is a small but compactly built
woman. of the blonde persuasion, and is
! the possessor of temperament that Is
literally stocked with patience. She makes
the best known follower Of her peculiar
| calling in the United States.
Most people," said she. have an aver
sion for snakes, but that is because they do
| not know anything about them. first be-
came interested in them and ended in lik.
ing them. Henry. there, is great deal of
at night let him out of his box and he
has a great time watching me and often
ne eraWIs all over me. Sometimes he gets
SIX feet and darts his head angrily at me-
saR 10 DO by%I by0I say ybS to him at such
Thews ,re r,,idaa a,ini why; SNAKES cant near!
can see objects behind them as we'll as they
can in front of them. When they shed their
SKINS SKINS IN the outer covering of the eye also
peels or. Their eyes are never closed. They
have no eyelids. King Henry is q python,
and although his home is in the East indies
beons and the soath
and H.. have ave ah almost identically the same
She first placed him in his box and then
turned to smaller box whicn had four
inmates-fat n- tame rabbits. As She picked up
MS vicious little eyes and then settled down
In :; an m. attitude of business. With quick
eosd ahe d hs snddsna fsSS efs so h box
| rustic and a hustle. faint squeak or two
and and his lerdship's feast had begun. The lid
the rabbit was tightly held in the embrace
NJ Henry has not caught him right" said
rabbit by a hind leg. But he'll hold him
until he is unable to move and then he'll
work around until he gets him by the head
Then he'll draw him In. and as he does
SO, VIII crush him until he is pulpy mass.
81 snake has many powerful muscles. Over
300 have been counted by Investigators
and every ore has some particular use.
Henry is a Sandow in development.
After the rabbit was disposed Of three
more were given him. By 2 o'clock the
feast was over and his snakeship enjoyed
an open-eye Siesta.
Henry. viii feel better now." said his
proud mistress. TT will require about
eighteen days. for him to digest the SUBJ
stantial meal he has just had. and then he
will fast for over three weeks. He is one
| of the few snakes in captivity that Will
eat, and because of that fact he is doubly
valuable to me, AND. besides, the danger
my mind.
And here's another fact about a snake, -
said Mrs. White. that people don't know.
Take Henry as an example. He always
| knows when he's got enough. which is more
than can be said of some people. Now that
he has his meal could put a dozen rabbits
in his box and he wouldn't harm one of
them. Snakes only kill tor food, never for
the sake of killing"