The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-18

earnestly to me. Strong drink is rag
ing, he told Pete, just as if the big snake
could understand him. You've got a
long and glorious future before you and
a comfortable jag at the present time, and
that's all a eelf-respecting blacksnake
should carry. No more whisky for yon
at present, my bird charming friend. And
the big smoke sneaked off. as if he knew
just what Seth was saying.
LAS soon as Seth saw Pete understoo
the game he changed his methods a little
Instead of taking the snakes out separ-
ately to their school he brought them outs
in bunch with bird for each. Pete
charmed his bird, handed it over to Seth
and got a drink. The other snakes came
hurrying up for drink, but they didn't
come in on that round 1t wasn't but
little while before the five other snakes
realized what they must do to get a drink,
and then they fairly tumbed 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 and
good whisky I've lavished on these
snakes says Seth, and now they can re-
pay me. Woodcock are scarce and COM
mand good price. But with the aid OF
my six educated blacksnakes end my own
mastery intellect, I'm going to food the
market. And I won't stir out of the
house to do itp
THE next day Seth began to gather in
his harvest of birds He kept his snakes
locked up until they were mighty anxious
for their morning grog. They he let them
out The snakes being anxious to catch
a bird and get a drink began 20 look
around in wondering way. But not a
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 puzzled. Then they got 1t through
their heads tihat the birds they were ex-
pected to get were in the woods and that
the quicker they got a bird the sooner
each thirsty blacksnake would have
drink. And each snake busted off for
the woods.
Late that afternoon I call 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 were six piles of wood
cock. There wasn't pile with aless than
fifteen birds in it, and one pile had twen-
ty-two. AS st as snake had brought
in bird SCI. ad given it drink of
whisky for its pay. The pile represented
were scarce and bringing a good price
and each drink had been a small one,
Seth was a long ways ahead of the game.
| "FWhere's all your snakes% l asked
him f
Seth looked at me kind of amazed
Those trained and intelligent crea-
lures of mine are blacksnakes, deacon,
not sewers said he. Where would any
creatures be that's drank the amount OF
whisky represented by those piles of
birds? Sleeping it off, of course. All but
Pete, dear old Pete. Hes several drinks
ahead of any of the others, and he's out
after a fresh bird now.
Gust then there was a little rustic at
the door, and in came Pete. Did you ever
see a drunken hlacksnake? Well, it is
the most disreputab!e sight In the world.
Pete would manage to wriggle ahead a
few feet, 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 grip on the bird. His eyes We're
more than half closed, but he was game,
and at last reached the pile and droppef
the woodcock beside Il. Then Pete turned
to Seth and waited for his drink. Seth
wasn't inclined to give it TO him, but
Pete looked up at him with a sort of
sleepy, but indignant look, as If to say,
| I've earned my drink and l want it,
so Seth put a little liquor in a cup in
front of the big snake Pete drank It.
| Then he was all in, and Seth had to cErry
him te the pen. was shocked clean
| through.
| II > a SlIi anu u SIlditits ottil i1OilkiHS.
I said Indignantly. You've corrupted
those poor creatures and led them into
evil ways. 1T means druukard's death
for them
ct means pile of woodcock for me-
replied Seth ashamed, but sort of sullen
| like.
"Well. the news of Seth's way of catch
ing 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 EIe called on Seth
and struck the house just as Seth was re-
lieving a hard working snake of a bird
and paying him with a drink.
| " 'There'n no blessing come of such i'll
gotten gains said the good man solemnly.
Twelve, twentythree, thirty-three,
| forty-eight, sixty-seven, seVenty-one birds
and more coming replied Seth, counting
the piles. When you can tell me of some
| way in which, by the aid of a blessing
| and shotgun, | can get seventy-one
| birds I'll quit the game. I've educated
| these particular snakes with tender care,
and II is only right that they should sup
port me in my old age. The snakes are
| happy and I'm making money. The only
people that have a kick coming are the
birds, and they don't bid in this game
'The minister was still more grieved,
both at Seh's hardness Of heart and at
the sort of fippant way in which he treat
ed the matter. But it seemed no use to
argue the matter, so after giving Seth
final warning that no good could come of
money earned in such a manner the good
man left him to his evil ways.
but just as Seth began to be puffed up
with pride and haughtiness and to think
of nothing except the money his bird
catching blacksnakes would bring him, his
hard luck came on him The snakes, of
| course, would drink all the whisky they
could hold, and Seth, thinking he was
making money out of each drink, kept on
filing them up tothe limit every day.
you've got profitable, If not right
eous game said ! to him, for while
didn't approve OF his scheme / was in
| terested in it. But don't work 1t to death
| Those snakes look up 90 you, and as long
as you give them liquor they think 1t all
right But even a blacksnake's consti-
tuition can't stand the amount OF whisky
your pets are absorbing
But, no, that didn't suit Seth. He was
making money and meant to stick 10 the