The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-18
GIRLS STRANGE PETS.
AND ANACONDA
MABEL DUCIx's PLAYMATES.
She FOndIes Monster Snakes-ROmps
with a Monkey Dig Enough to XIII
Man How This Five-year-old
Teaches Her Pets Manners

win a monkey Bt& Euou&h W MN
Nam How This FIve-year-Old
Teaches Her Pets Manners
From the Philadelphia Press.
All the children around Tenth and Balm
bridge streets wildly envy little Mabel
Buck. Although but Ave years old, Ma
bel has the strangest playmates OF any
youngster in the wide world. OF course,
there are lots of ghosts, spooks, and just
plain "haunts" in the gloomy and ram
bling mansion, and Mabel isn't at all
afraid of them. But these are not genial
aud responsive playmates and are rather
kept for show when she pilots strangers
through the empty upper chambers and
tells them hairraising stories.
But lion cubs, anacondas, monkeys.
bears and beasts from all the world around
are no more than playmates for this child,
who has lived among and with them all
her little life. MabePs best and jolliest
companion is away on starring tour and
she is inconsolable. This is the wonder
full orang-outang, Mr.. Murphy. VINO
knows a good deal more than some peo-
pie so his intimate friends declare. Ma
bel struggles bravely along with pair
o
knots around herself and has tanned
completely, and other conspicuous in
ma les of the menagerie, but life is good
deal of q bore without Murphy to play
house." with.
Snakes Her Hobby.
Not long ago the writer saw Mabel very
busy in The impromptu role of an infan-
tile snake-charmer. She didn't have an
idea of doing anything for show. she
was amusing herself with several yards
of anaconda as an ordinary child would
Ius out its dolls kitchen or express wagon
to PASS away rainy day. She danced
into her fathers Office and reception room,
and. happening to overhear scrap OF
business conversation, shouted:
"Oh, papa, have you really got some
new snakes? Where are they! Please
lei me see EN-"
The day being chilly, two recently hc-
ouired anacondas, each more than three
times Mabel's length, were Enclosed IN
eunnv-sack behind the store. the caller
scuttled nervously toward the outer door
as Mabel dove gleefully toward the prize
and plunged her arms into the tangie OF
snakes and tenderly pulled out one ol
them hand over fist.
This one she Wreathed around her waist.
fold on slowly waving fold. and hauled
ont the companion, who was slung over
her little shoulders. But he dangled TO
the floor, and with his last yard or so
got a double twist around the child's leg.
She wasn't in the least worried, ana sang
out to the agitated caller:
please pull him away. l can't get az
him way down there. He's awful heavy"
Being somewhat entangled, she was get
ting out of trouble, when the tocular con-
strictor got another double hitch around
her other chubby calf, and she had her
hands full for a few minutes. She had
before.
which could have squeezed the breath out
Of her But she has that mysterious and
rare ability to handle lower animals, SO
that their blind anger is soothed. ana
they become harmless. With these snakes
she knew ipstinctively how gently they
must be fondled. with some vague but az
tonishing magnetism IN her little nnser
tins. which seemed to charm and hypno-
tie them.
Hideous Playmate.
1t is extraordinary to think that
MabeTs best beloved playmate Is full
grown orahg-outang. powerful enough TO
Crag a 20o-pound man all around room
by grasping the arms of his chair. She
doesn't see any reason for surprise IN
this. When she fell to talking about him
she said:
I'm lonesome without Murphy; he was
always so good-natured. He just loved to
play with me. lie used to cry when |
was away frcm him long. He was lovely
to play house with. He couldn't talk
much but ] knew some OF the things he
said 1t was like playing with deaf and
dumb child. / could tel when he was
asking for a drink or something 10 eat,
or wanted to go to bed, and lots of 9TH
err things. He had sounds for telling me,
and taught them to me af,er awhile. He
was such fun dressed UP for dinner at my
dolls table.
OIL On hfq
best suit Of clothes and his little stove
pipe hat to come 10 a banquet with me.
NV, he was proud Then he'd sit across
the table and play being company. He'd
tuck his napkin under his chin, and use
his knife and fork and spoon just as nice
as grown folks. / never have to send him
away from the table for forgetting his
manners When bedtime came, Murphy
would undress himself and get into his lit
tie nlght-shirt and crawl into his little
white bed, and look so funny with his
head sticking out of the sheets that /
had to laugh when / was singing him to
sleep sometimes A lot OF children come
in TO play with him. He's very fond OF
company, Murphy is. He gets dreadful
homesick when he isn't having a good
time playing"
sturdy steed.
There will be great Joy in MabePs house
when the distinguished Mr.. Murphy re-
turns from his visit to the West. and he
will do the honors at a specially elaborate
banquet in the payroom with several
youthful guests from the nelghborhood.
Mabers account OF his intelligence is
very conservative one. He goes through
all the busy routine Of play housekeeping
with her and enjoys IL hugely.
When the little matron wishes TO go out
for a drive, or to pay calls, she bitches
"Jovis" to the family carry-all. "Jovis"
lrfr
calf, and a more reliable guardian than
platoon OF police. II any one threat
ems 20 strike Mabel or her father, he sim
ply knocks them down and awaits fur
Their developments before resuming hos
tiHties. He makes an admirable family
steed, pacing along with huge dignity on
such occasions Mr.. Murphy is coach
man. He mounts the front seat of the lit
tie express wagon and cakes the reins,
looking immensely grave and preoccu-
pied. He does not allow his attention 10
be distracted. and II "Jovis" IS inclined
10 loaf or converse with other dogs on