The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-14

any sordid motives. he replied m his
bland. benevolent way. The main object
10 tho Improvement and education Of thu
neglected tribe OF snakes. once le; snake
racing become a fad and IL may Develop
int as grand an Industry as horse racing.
which furnishes lets OF worthy men
good living without much exertien On
their own part or course, like horse
racing. little betting makes things more
interesting, and II you care 10 make
small wager on the racing ability Of your
nsturalised snake Ehen Brown would b
glad TO accommodate you. although I'm
opposed to gambling on principle
We'll betting seemed 20 be Just what
Uncle Hank Redmond had been sesrch-
Ing for. He pulled out q big roll of bills.
and for once Ehen was able To wager all
he wanted on the speed-makins ability OF
his trained racer. bat Uncle Hank made
one proviso before he finally put Up his
money,
.sThls being poor. ignorant snake
that I'm putting my fondest hopes and
good money on. said Uncle Hank, sort
of douhtfuliy. ~ may not understand ths
words OF the starter. And for that reason
I'd like tho privilege of giving him a little
push In the right direction before no be-
gins his festive caursing toward the goal
. Push him all you want. Uncle HANK
responded Eben IN his most eheerfui maui
ner. for he already looked upon Jncie
Hanks money as his own, Push him
half a dozen times II you like As long
as you don't harness him 10 an automobile
and drag him over tho course. Ehen
Brown Is too fair-minded q man TO make
any protest
when the day Tor the great handicap
race came Uncle Hank Redmond, Ehtn
Brown and lot OF boys were on hand
with their snakes Eben was strutting
around with the air OF a man who IL all
most sorry 10 think OF the easy way In
which his snake would add 20 It's long
list OF victories. When the word was
given. on every snake started except
Uncle Hank Redmond's. Eben's pct shot
ahead and set . pace which made all tho
other snakes look as if they were running
backward. Tho boys shouted at Uncle
Hank to start his racer. Hut Uncle Hank.
instead OF appearing worried. just
snapped his fingers. His snake whipped
It's tail into tts mouth, whtrled himself
up into the form of big circle. and tho
crowd saw the nonshalant looking reptile
was really one Of the famous racing hoop
snakes. Uncle Hank gave tho snake a Its
tie push. and on II dew.
''Racingi The big hoop snake looked
more like a runaway locomotive wheel
than anything In tho line OF a snake. IT
caught mp with Eban's champion before
the latter had gone baif way over the
course. Then the hoop snake added Insult
TO Injury BY skating couple OF times
around the former racing wonder. After
that tho hoop snske raced around tho
goal post, and was back to the startin1
post before tho other snake had wons ons
way. Uncle Hank Redmond looked
amaxed-like at Ebcn Brown
4 Well, we'll, Ehen.' no said. a. II hon-
estiy surprised and puxxied. The boys
must have made . mistake. They told
me you had a racing snake guess
they have Just been putting UP . Joke
on me because am an old man ana live
at the other end OF the county. hut.
at that I can't understand why you
should have bet en- that slow moving
creature OF yours
Coed old Eben Brown was sputtsring
with rage
There wasn't anything said about the
manner IN which my Pet should show
his speed said rnele Hank. calmly.
II your ex-champion had won everything
would be ell right. Just because you are
vexed with the why IN which my snake
winrisd past that ploddins reptile of
yours, you ief out a platns.ve hlsat about
beating unfairly
Some OF the Judges themselves wars
puzzled. but Tom Wilson. who had BEEN
HIT pretty hard betting against Eban's
snake IN former races, held the dccisIvs
vota And Tom didn't lose any time do
gliding against Ehen.
Some snakes like 20 crawl over tho
ground ssld Tom Wilson, ia thu funs
OF man ~hc kno~s all there - 20 be
said on the subject; Others prefer TO
trundle themselves like hoop. and for
all know some may use merry hap,
skip and Jump tn their isnrnsyinss lis
ali fair. II isn't any worse 20 bring in
hoop snake than II II 10 ring ia a
trained athlete under the faise 81 .
giaaid looking milk snake
'Ifaele Hank flsdmon8 gathered in
the msney BpeB had bet and started fer
Tom Wilson's tavern icDen WAS tvst
about 20 tfudes sa~afd home whom ha
saw hia beaten prize SNAKE sueahing in
the same direction, The snake xAs even
more Detected hooking than f.een. 1aut
Kssen picked up ihc almost heaEibreksn
little animal and put Il ~ his pocket
W. neut adaine u It's arssf w scoldiRx 81.
Don't feel 6owncast. my ebuaf3 pet
he said 10 the defeated snake IN conNei
ink tones. ffpa are Eiiii the champion
% rfke opunsy snakes al straight rae
lng Hut shea they dfaS IN ast0fnstlia
rzfofs inia shs game rs Tina Cor honest
nsef and haBeat saAkea ~ draw gut