The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-06-06

encounter that creature with the beady
brown eyes, forked tongue, and teeth
all pointing inward-the wrong way
for an assailant. Up to that point
the search had gone on as quietly as
IL we had been seeking lost piece Of
rope.
Fortunately the floor boards of the
cook house were nine inches wide, and
in a short time one of them was re-
moved. Down went four heads, and
all four came up again, very hastily:
"There he isv'
Close beside the opening in the floor
lay about a bushel of big brown and
yellow coils, and above the pile how
cred the massive head of the python,
to strike the first living
thing that came within reach. The
noise and jar of the carpenters efforts
in removing the board had greatly ir-
ritated the reptile.
Mr.. Ditmars, our curator of reptiles,
had provided himself with large bag
of heavy cloth, hoping to be able to
throw it moutht downward over the
coilsIof the serpent-the usual way of
capturing snakes at large. But there
was not sufficient space between the
floor and the serpent to carry this plan
into effect; and moreover, the serpent's
head was airogcther too threatening.
Pending further efforts, we procured
boards and endeavored to cut off the
python's escape, front and rear.
The python waited until we had
placed the boards to the best possible
advantage, then uncoiled himself,
showed the boards out of position as
II they had been so many straws put
there for his amusement, and quickly
disappeared under the ant-eater's cage.
The carpenter fell to work again to
remove several other boards of the
floor, while the messenger boys were
stationed outside the building to see
that our quarry did not get out and es-
cape to the forest.
In a short time the python's head
again appeared at one of the long,
narrow openings made by the carpen-
ter, but as Mr.. Ditmars took a favor
able position for grabbing the crea-
ture by the neck. close up to the jaws,
1t struck at him most viciously.
Look out! cried some one, en-
phatically.
Clearly, 1t would not do for any of
our men to be seized by that savage
creature; for although the python was
OF course not poisonous, and although
we might even prevent 1t from wrap
ping itself around any one of us, the
laceration of mans hand by that big,
muscular mouth. filled with four rows
of hook-like, backward-pointing teeth,
would have been n serious matter.
Presently the snake left it's place un-
der the ant-eater's cage, gliding along
the side of the building farthest from
the door, alert, aggressive, and so
ready to strike any one who came near
its head that 1 forbade the men to
take risks.
AS its five yards of length semicir-
cled around the cook-stove. part OF Its
body passed under one of the floor
openings. This was our opportunity
and in an instant two of us seized il
and triumphantly hauled up about six
feet of the serpents body and tail.
How big and muscular it was! Its
skin was as smooth and glossy as sat
In and cleaned with rainbow rides
cence. 1t writhed and worked In oul
grasp, and pulled downward with sucl
power that it required all the strength
OF the chief forester and myself tC
retain any portion OF it within oul
grasp. We braced ourselves, heayet
hard, anu by main strength tried tc
pull the python out Backward; but mo-
one inch could we gain. On the con
trary, inches were drawn away from
us in spite of all we could do. l be-
lieve that ten men could not have
pulled that python out backward al
though they might possibly have tori
1t In two.
All this time Mr.. Ditmars kept trying
to seize the python by the neck, but II
was constantly alert. anxious to seiz,
him, and gave him no opportunity
whatever. 1t was evident that will
our unaided hands we never coulc
master that savage creature withou
an accident to some one.
Bidding a keeper take my place a
the "tail hold" and hang ON with al
his strength. I ran to the storeroom
and with two yards of mason's line
q long, thin hammer-handle of hickory
and staple hurriediy driven into tn,
end of 1t for the line to pass through
l quickly made very servlceabl,
moose Back ran to the cook-house.
Mr.. Merkel and Mr.. Munzie, red IL
the face and perspiring profusely
were clinging desperately TO the las
two feet of the python's tail; and thu
python was in perfect rage. 1t dnrt
ed to and fro under the half-demol
ished floor, striking out vlciousl.
whenever II seemed possible to reacl
a man. and manifestlng great willing
ness to fight any one. At the SAM
time, however. 1t most cunnlngly KEEP
its head under cover.
readjusted the loop OF my line a
the end of my stick and put 1t clos
to the python's head, expecting tn
snake to make strike through tn
moose. He refused. l waited patein,
ly. Inch by inch the tail was goin
under the foor.
1--WE can't hold on here much lonl
err exclaimed the forester, desperate
".
At last the python started to NOV