The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-08-03

concreting the alligator pool, hnlsnlng
the big wall cases, dividing the GEN.
trail ''installa don" for turtles, and do
ing hundred other things. The
opening day was relentlessly drawing
nearer and nearer, and we were anxi-
ously assembling live beasts, birds
and reptiles with which to I'LL the
various installations that would be
opened to the public on that occasion.
Down at Bartel's place we anxiously
examined his stock of live serpents.
and made many purchases. The most
important acquisition was a black
tailed python, between fourteen and
fifteen feet long, fresh from some East
Indian jungle; chosen because Its size,
It's perfect condition and ravenous ap-
petite combined to make 1t genuine
prize. In a collection a snake which
feeds freely is worth about twice as
much as one which does not. for 1t
will live twice as long as one which
requires to have its food forced down
its throat with ramrod.
+. Pending the completion OF our rep
tile house, bird-house, small mammals
house. bear dens and dozen other
things, we quartered all our live stock
in closed yard at the rear OF the
storehouse. A cleared space In the for
est about one hundred feet square
had been enclosed by a tight board
fence, and in this were dozens of tenn
porary cages and pens Of oil sizes, filled
with wild creatures, impatiently
awaiting the opening day-and better
quarters. In one corner Of this yard
we had hurriedly erected cook house,
which in appearance was similar to q
Western claim shanty. 1t stood low
upon the ground, and the most con-
spicuous object within it was a live
~, great ant-eater, whose wire house
extended quite across one end OF the
room.
In that portion of the yard where sew
eral dozen glass-fronted snake-boxes
were arranged under shed one OF
our carpenters built for the python,
under Mr.. Ditmars's direction, large
box cage, with front of wire netting
and glass. Compared with the other
snake boxes 1t was very pretentious
affair, as befitted the ''star boarder."
The python was expected by express
on q certain dag, but when left the
park at nearly seven o'clock. it had
not arrived, and seemed very unlikely
to do so that nignl.
l reached the park the following
morning at half past seven O'Clock.
and was just opening my desk. when
In came my Office boy, red in the face
and breathless from running.
Good morning, sir! Mr.. Ditmars
would like to have me help hunt for
the snake. May go now"
Hunt for whats"
."The big snake. 1t escaped last
nightp'
"what! That big pythonT'
Eyes. sir"
"Horrors!" said 1; and we turned
and ran.
Words could not do the situation
justice. The stupid carpenter who
built the python's cage had left big
hole, four inches square, carefully con
cealed behind a rafter in an upper
corner Of the box. The serpent had
arrived late the previous evening, and
during the night had found this open
ing and joyously glided through tt
freedom.
To think of that big serpent at lib
erty in the Geological Park! l had Nc
great fear that 1t would harm any one
but the publicity! The busy place
was humming with gossipy workmeI
from all parts of the city; the report
ers would surely learn of the python.
escape; before my mental vision ros'
columns upon columns of newspaper
articles headed: Terror In the Bronx!
Monster Serpent Loosew Panic II
the New Zoo! and the thought OF al
this was more appalling to me thai
the countenance of any wild beast
had ever met. Great would be thu
surprise and chagrin of the Geological
Society, and the humiliation would b,
almost unbearable. Truly, this was :
pretty way to start q new Geological
Park
At the animal yard found doZeI
men and boys at work very quietly
like sensible fellows. trying to fnt
the vanished python. My first act wa
TO send for several more men ant
start them searching Systematically
but without any noise or fuss, through
every square yard of the low bushe
outside. Their orders were to searcl
In ever widening circles. discover tn
snake IL possible, and in the event o
doing so, silently to mark the spot AM
bring word to me. Leaving this par
of the hunt in full progress. returne
to the yard.
1t seemed probable that the pytho
had crawled under some one of til
many cages. platforms or building
under several of which it could easil
have found refuge. If 1t had gone III
der anything else than the big. sprea'
ing storehouse building, which wa
thirty-five feet wide by one hundre
and thirty feet long. we might find
before it could escape into the fores
If. however, it had hidden under tn,
extensive building. we were In
quandary.
The men continued to look und
various things. likely and unlikel
and presently they discovered bros
mark which seemed to be the trail
the serpent. leading under the COO
house. A close examination confirm,
this theory. and then 1t was also I
ported that no similar trail could
found leading out. A carpenter W
hurriedly sent for to remove Z
boards from the door.
Now many courageous men ha
such an Unborn aversion to snakes th