The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-14
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UNCLE HANKS STARTER CARRIES orr THEpRlzE.

whether Uncle Hank Rad-
mond's racer was entitled 20
the first prize In the great Pike county
handicap snake race" observed Deacon
Todgers tudicially. And. in my opinion.
Ehen Browns champion was the real
winner For IL seems to me that Hanks
snake was disqualified by its mode OF
sprinting
That race was match between
snakes told the judges. not an ami
mated automobile contest No animal
that travels by turning himself into a
gyreting wheel ought to be declared the
victor and snatch weil-earned iaureis
from the brow OF Eben Browns pet rae
ing snake.
'But Uncle Hank Redmond only
sneered at my words OF frank TRUTHFUL
ness. and said there was nothing In
the rules 10 prevent his snake from ny
ing over the course II II wanted 20.
'sOne day this summer, when Eben
Brown was proving about in tho woods.
he met a little milk snake. The speed
with which the snake retired from pub
lie view gave Eben an idea which he
thought he might turn 70 his own finan-
ciai advantage
"Tf q snake that never had the aa-
vantage Of proper training and special
muscle developing food can make himself
invisible at such short notice. said Eben.
earnestly, one that has enjoyed the
benefits Of association with mo and been
taught to exercise under my keen eye
would accomplish wonders. And II people
could be persuaded TO bet on their own
untutored snakes. they would be taught
practical lesson on the evils Of gam
Ing
so Eben caught little milk snake
that ne judged would be able to show
about the right quality Of speed and
began training Il. Every morning he
would take the snake out for what he
called it's exercise gallop. The snake
was a pretty swift article to start WITH
and Eben didn't allow any icafing.
"sYou won't be able TO come around
after the race, my swiftly gliding pet.
Eben used to say TO the snake. with Q
plaintive wall that YOU lost because
you weren't trained enough
After the snake had It's early morn
ing spin Eben would take Il into his
barn. and by making frequent pokes at
1t with a stick, kept the snake lodging
about at lively rate. Eben said this
Iivencd up the snakes muscles and
brought out his latent activities. Then
In tho afternoon and evening Eben would
be OF for couple OF more swift runs
with his coming champion. A good
many OF the neighbors who saw lLben
trotting along the road with an active
but blase looking milk snake thought
tho good man had gone CRAZY, But this
didn't worry Eben
Every great man has been ridieuied,
Eben used 20 say eompiaeently. Folks
LAUGHED at Columbus, and they jeer at
Eben Brown. He laughs best who makes
tho biggest winning. And after folks
get through betting against my snake
one long. trtumpbal chortle will be COM
ing 10 your Uncle Ehen."
After a couple OF months Ebon thought
ne had his champion trained down to the
proper point. He circulated around tho
country and got up . great snake race.
open to all respectable snakes who were
residents Of Pike county. Most OF the
boys thought n blacksnake had every
thing else coppered when II csme to
racing. SO they bet freely on their ea-
tries. Training tells In man or snake and
Eben's pet was nearly out Of sight by
the time the others were half way over
the course. Eben gathered In the money
he had won. but somehow tho good man
didn't seem one bit satisfied.
There's ench thing as OVERRIDING
almost everything. even speed In racing
Eben said, sort ~ regretfuiy. And my
innocent looking pet seems 10 have fallen
into that error I'm not a greedy man,
and nothing would gree me more pleasure
than 10 LEI the boys have chance TO
they are 20 be persuaded 20 bet against "a
snake that emuiates chain lightning In
his manner of covering the ground IL .
problem that ss worrying YOUR Uncle
Eben Into premature innoeuous dcxuet-
ude.'
But Eben wasn't 20 be discouraged
from hts noble object ~ stepping gam-
Ing. az he termed II. and he finally set
hts snake trained so that the intsiliEsrt
creature would win or lose. jtst as Eben
wanted The boys were rather ehsry
about betting against the snake but
after n had been beaten Eve or Mx times
they gained courage. and when Ehen
finally proposed handicap race all ~
them entered into the scheme, and pretty
nearly every variety % Pike rounsS
snake was represented IN the entry list
The day before the race old hpeis
Hank Redmond Gales over a. Ebcn' :
house and said he had = snake he would
like 10 enter IL there was no objection.
set AIM exactly a Pike county reptile
said tTnele Hank. seeing 4 Was born out
Of ,hlH slate. put if'g snake that's been
living in my barn for months, snf ] can
vosch for 80 intelligence and good moral
character
!