The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-07
MAUD SINS, SNAKE cHARMER
This Young Woman May Consider
Herself Distinctly Unique.


| Miss Maud Sims is one of the most
charming young women in Pasadena So
| ciety, says a California exchange, but
| she recently ran great risk of destroy
ing her popularity by appearing at a cos
| tune ball as a snake charmer. The per-
sonation was decidedly realistic. for she
| carried with her a number of her hideous
| pets.
Miss Sims belongs to one of the best
families of Pasadena and is young. pref
| ty, and talented. Her one hobby is a
passionate fOndness for snakes. From
early childhood she has had a positive
mania for the repulsive things, and at
various times has owned a number of
them. They were not all of the harm
| less sort, either, for pythons, boa con-
| strictors, and anacondas Were included in
| the collection.
| on the night of the ball Miss Sims pur-
| posely delayed her arrival till all the
guests were present. delicious waltz
were whriing around with fair ladies
dressed in almost every style known to
ancient or modern times Suddenly a
Shrek arose and the guests made a wild
rush for the far end of the room-the
snake charmer had arrived
In the doorway stood Miss Sims, bow
ing and smiling; twined around her were
four great serpents. the largest one,
mated headdress.
The newcomer had received a rather
dubious welcome. AT first sight of the
hideous REPTILES the Mortified hostess had
hastily retreated, and when the pseudo
snake charmer advanced toward the
guests she was saluted with chorus of
fIenzied entreaties to keep away.
Having had her joke and having startled
her friends, Miss Sims removed the en-
circling snakes, placed them in great
box that she had brought for the purpose,
4 I. a he dan
''Of course, ii was daring prank" said
Miss Sims in the course Of a recent chat.
but when the idea dawned on me it
seemed so irresstibly comic that | simply
could not resist carrying it into execu-
ton.
WAS the effect as funny as you had
anticipated
"Oh, quite answered the fair snake
fancier with peal of laughter. Il ere
ated genuine CONSERVATION. In fact, L
don't believe that any of the guests got
a warmer reception than my pets and /.
No. l am not afraid of snakes. and
have handled some of the most danger
Gus. OF course. to be able to do this
person must understand reptile character
and know just about how much fondling
his snakeship is willing to endure. Some
snakes can be handled in a wild state.
others must first be trained and made ia
miiar with human beings. Some of the
untamed, untutored snakes are very
tractable. | have had a great python
fresh from the forest dumped from a bag
on the floor and have picked it up, ca
reSsed il. and made free in many ways.
without having suffered for my temerity.
Through carelessnesS proceeding, | sup
pose, from the familiarity that breeds
contempt, l have been bitten several
times
THE first time was by a whipsnake,
fortunately net poisonous snake. | was
showing it to some friends when suddenly
it became alarmed at something and fas-
tened its teeth in my arm. The jaws had
to be pried open. Several of the teeth
were broken off and one l still carry in
my arm as a souvenir of the incident
Since that time l have been bitten proba-
bly, a dozen times.
AT present | have four large snakes, |
a python from South America. boa con- !
strictOr from Africa, an anaconda from |
South America, and boa from Cuba