The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-26

separately TO their ScnOOl, ne DfOuSn
them out in a bunch with a bird 20
each. Pete charmed his bird, and hand
ed it over to Seth and got drink. TIT
other snakes came hurrying up for ;
drink too but they didn't come in OF
that round. 1t wasn't but a little while
before the five other snakes realiz Z
what they must do to get drink, ant
then they fairly tumbled over them
selves to charm birds and exchange
them for drinks. After they had done
this about dozen times, Seth judged
their education was complete.
Valuable time and fatherly care an6
good whisky, I've lavished on these
snakes, says Seth, and now they Ian
repay me- Woodcock are scarce nnd
command good price But with the
aid Of my six educated blacksnakes and
my own mastery intellect I'm going
to flood the market. And l won't stir
out of the house to do it
, THE next day Seth began to gather
i in his harvest of birds. He kept his
snakes locked up until they were
mighty anxious for their morning grog.
Then he let them out. The snakes be-
ing anxious to get q bird and get a
drink, began to look around in Won
dering way. But not bird was in
sight Then Seth led the snakes over to
the edge of the clearing, they following
him like lot of sheep. Seth waved
his hand in the direction of the woods.
for a minute the snakes were clean puz-
zled. Then they got it through, their
heads that the birds they We're expect
ed to get We're in the woods, and that
the quicker they got bird the sooner
each thirsty blacksnake would have a
drink. And each snake busted off or
the woods.
Late that afternoon l called around
at Seths house. There he was lying In
the hammock and smoking his pipe as
calm and peaceable as If he had nothing
to do but draw interest on his money.
AT one side of the room We're six piles
of woodcock. There wasn't a pile with
less than Is birds in it, and one pile had
20. AS fast as a snake had brought in
bird, Seth had given it a drink Of
whisky for its pay. The pile repre-
scented a good deal Of whisky but as
woodcocks were scare and bringing a
good price, and each drink had been a
small one, Seth was long ways ahead
of the game.
Where are all your snakes?' l asked
him
HSeth looked at me kind of amazed.
g Those trained and intelligent crea-
lures of mine are blacksnakes, deacon,
not sewers, said he. Where would any
creature be that's drank the amount Of
whisy represented by those piles of
birds? Sleeping it off of course. All put
Pete, dear old Pete. He's several
drinks ahead of ony of the others, and
he's out after fresh bird now
''Just then there was a little rustic
at the door, and in came Pete. Did you
ever see a drunken blacksnake? Well,
it is the most disreputable sight in the
world. Pete would manage to wriggle
ahead few feet, and then half roll
over on his side and stop. By the time
he got under way again he had dropped
the bird he was carrying. Then he
would give a couple of feeble waves Of
his head and finally get a grip on the
bird His eyes We're more than half
closed, but he was game, and at last
reached the pile, and dropped the wood
cock beside it. Then Pete turned to
totln anu Ndittt AOl Nilhh. '9'+lil
wasn't inclined to give it to him, but
Pete looked up at him with a sort Of
sleepy but indignant loook, as if to say,
I've earned my drink, and | want it,
so Seth put little liquor in cup in
front of the big snake. Pete drank it.
Then he was all in, and Seth had to
carry him to the pen. J. was shocked
clean through
''It's a sin and a shame, Seth Hop
kins, l said Indignantly. You've cor
rupted those poor creatures and led
them into evil ways. 1t means a
drunkard's death for them
''Tt means pile of woodcock for
me- replied Seth, ashamed, but sort of
sullen like.
well, the news of Seth's way of |
birds got around, for even if he
felt he had done wrong, Seth was
mighty proud of his invention and !
couldn't help telling about it. When the
minister heard Of it he was grieved. He /
called on Seth and struck the house just |
as Seth was relieving Woodworking |
snake of bird and paying him With a
drink
'There'll be no blessing come of such |
ill-gotten gains said the good man sol |
EMMY.
" Twelve, %; 33, As, 81, n birds, and |
more coming, replied Seth, counting the |
piles When you can tell me IF Some
way in which, by the aid of blessing
and a shotgun, I can get II birds I'll |
1uit the game. I've educated these par
ticular snakes with tender care, ana It |
Is only right that they should support
me in my old age. The snakes are nap
py and I'm making money. The only
people that have a kick coming are the
birds, and they don't bid in this game
1.-THE minister was still more grievcd,
both at Seth's hardness of heart, and al
he sort of flippant way in which re
.reated the matter. But it seemed 10
lrse to argue the matter, so after giving
Seth a final warning that no good could
,orne of money earned in such imam
Ter, the good man left hi INTO mis- evil
ways
''But Just as Seth began to be puffed
lp<with pride and haughtiness, and 10
hing of nothing except the money and
lis bird-catching blacksnakes would
oring him, his hard luck came on him.
rhe snakes, of course would drink al
he whisky they could hold and Seth,
linking he was making money out of
ZACH drink, kept on filling them up to
he~limit every day.
You've got a profitable, if not a