The suburban citizen., 1901-06-08
was rapidly nearing compile

tlon. Its great main hall was
swarming with wOrkmen, who were
cOncreting the alligator pool, finishing
the big wall cases, dividing the cen
tral installation" for turtles, and do
ing a 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 ill the
various installations that would be
opened to the public on that occasion,
Down at Barters 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,
its perfect condition and ravenous ap-
petite combined to make it a genuine
prize. In a collection a snake which
feeds freely is worth about twice as
much as one which does not, for it
viii live twice as long as one which
requires to have its food forced down
its throat with a ramrod.
Pending the completion Of our rep
tile-house, bird-house, small mammals
house, bear dens and a dozen other
things, we Guartered all our live stock
in a closed yard at the rear OF the
storehouse. \ cleared space IN the for
est about one hundred feey square
had been enclosed by a tight board
fence, and in this were dozens OF Jem-
porary cages and pens Of all sizes, d!icd
with wild creatures, impatienJly
awaiting the opening day-2nd better
quarters. In one corner Of this yard
we had Lurriedly erected a cool. house,
which in appearance was similar 20 a
Western claim shanty. 1t sJood low
upon the ground, and the most con-
spicuous object within IL was live
ly, great Gnt-eaccr, whose wire house
extended quite across cIe end OF tie
room.
In that portion Of the yard where sew
eral dozen gla-s-froLted snOke-DcXos
were arranged under a shed one OF
our carpenters built for the python,
under Mr.. Ditmarss direction, large
box cage, with front of wire netting
and glass. Compared with the other
snake-boxes it was a very prelentious
affair, as beftted the star bCarder.'
The python was expected by express
on a certain day, but when l left the
park at nearly seven o'clock, it had
not arrived, and seemed very unlikely
to do so that nignG
1 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.. DitmaGs
would like TO have me help hunt for
:he snake. May go now"
Hunt for what:'
"The big snake. 1t escaped last
nigntr'
what! That big python"
Eyes, sir"
"Horrors!" said 1; and we turned
and ran.
Words could not do the situation
Justice The stupid carpenter who
built the pythons cage had left a 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 joyOusiy giided through tc
freedom.
To think Of that big serpent at lib
erty in the Geological Park. / had NJ
great fear that it would harm any one
but the publicity. The busy place
was humming with gossipy workmer
from all parts OF the city; the report
ers would surely learn Of the python's
escape; before my mental vision rosC
columns upon columns Of newspaper
articles headed: Terror in the Bronx"
Monster Serpent LoOsew Panic IL
the New Zoo" and the thought OF al
this was more appalling to me thar
the countenance OF any wild beast
had ever met. Great would be tht
surprise and chaggin Of the Geological
Society, and the humiliation would b
almost unbearablc Truly, this was
pretty way to start new Geological
Park!
At the animal yard l found q dozel
men and boys at work very quietly
like sensible fellows, trying to flint
the vanished python. My first act wa
to send for several more men anu
start them searching systematically
but without any noise or fuss, throug
every square yard Of the low bushe
outside. Their orders were TO scare
in ever widening circles, discover III
snoAe if possible, and in the event c
do;nf so, silently 10 mark the spot IN
bring word TO me. Leaving this pal
of the hunt in full progress, returna
to the yard.
1t seemed probable that the pythc
had craWled under some one Of I'll
many cages, platforms or building
under several Of which it could easil
have found refuge. If it had gone u
der anything else than the big, sprea,
Ing storehouse building, which W.
thirty-fye feet wide by one hundre
and thirty feet long. we might find