The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-15
RIG HIT WAY TO HANDLE SNAKES
DON'T ANGER THEM AND THE
PESkY THINGS WON'T BITE.
An Old Time Snake (harmer Tells OF the
Habits Of the Reptiles She I'sed In
Her Calling. and How She Controlled
Them without Harm 20 Herself.

oh' Ei'i 'Np N'l l'lkSs hhN Il nOIh
them a moment9 l should just love to;
they are so cute
The speaker was a comely, matronly
looking woman, well, though somewhat
showily dressed. She was one Of a motley
crowd that stood before an exhibition
platform in a dime museum. On the plat
form sat a garish young woman who. on
the show bills, was "the peerless Grcassian
beauty" She wore very short skirts, as
real Circassian beauties always do, and her
high-heeled satin slippers and crimson
silken hose were undoubtedly imported
from the wilds of Circassia. Her hair
stood up in a great mass. like the boil OF a
ripened dandelion. 1t was probably a
wig, but il was the orthodox style of beauty
for the dime museum "Grcash."
At the feet of the beauty lay the "darl-
ings" which had evoked the woman
visitors admiring exclamation. They were
not babies, but a pair of big diamond
backed r~attlers, the deadliest of the rattle
snake tribe. Safely Gagged in a den Of
wire and glass, they could do no harm, but at
each Of the hourly exhibitions given in
the museum the Crcassian beauty would
take the venomous reptiles from their den,
fondle them and, as the museum patrons
expressed II. do stunts" with them. The
beauty looked somewhat suspiciousiy at
the woman who had made the request.
Don't" she exclaimed. They're the
most poisonous of all snakes and their bite
means almost certain death. The mana
gers wouldn't allow you to touch them
and il might cost you your life"
Huh! ! amt afraid" was the reply.
Il was in the business before YOU was born
and handled snakes that was a deal trickier
than rattlcrs. Water mocCasins, black
and pun adders and vonomous reptiles
from all parts Of the world. Once" she
added proudly, Il owned a cobra
The woman on the platform %inconti-
nently surrendered and allowed the visitor
to take her pets, which the stranger fondled
a. a fond mother would n baby.
100 wouldn't hurt mamma, would oo?-
she cooed as the ugly, fiat head Of the RATHER
lay against her cheek The snake dartcd
out It's forked tongue. but il did not spring
it's rattles, The glitter of its beady eyes
showed that il was fully conscious Of what
wa taking place, but II evidently enjoyed
being carrssed by the veteran.
Even the most venomous snakes are
harmless as long az they are treated right"
said the woman. They love To he petted
and stroked Just a. a cat does. II they
are tOrfnpnteO, thcy are likely 10 StrlNc,
Rattlers are the easiest 81 all snakes Ia han
die, for they won't bite without giving
warning Nearly always they will coil
for a strike, and invariably they will spring
their rattles.
Il was in the business nearly fifteen
year.. In that time ! was bitten more than
n score Of times. but II was always because
81 my own carelessnes- ! always kept
an'Idutes at hand and never suffered from
a bite more than most PERSONS would from
tho sting Of a be-" Snakes have always
boon on" Of the best cards in museums
and side-shows. In nine cases out Of ten
the reptiles ara handled 10y women The
act proves moro attractive 20 the public
than when they are handled by men Be
sides, women take To snakes mora readily
than men Perhaps they Inherited that
from old Mother Eve and the speaker
laughed AT the suggestion.
But women rarely begin ON poisonous
snakes when they 81 into the business,
II j. natural 30 be- afraid a. first After
they have had a fcW months DAuefi.uca
they are not satisfied unlr~s they can hand"
his or yeuomuus rrfp-rts No effort h.
made to prevent th" snake from biting. foT
they an" allowed to ,uN around 'ho hand
lrr- neck and might easily stnk" at will
Al you haN" 10 DO h. g. acquir" confidence
The husst exhibit ul ruakcs ever Jaw
Was one brought North about hN" ,rars
ago from Icsar by IN Poster. AID 90. wife
MI Poster Nas th' murt IrmafkauI, hand
Der - snakes ! have over known lhrir
exhibit consisted Il nearly 10 %'ItileI- -
hl kiuur. addous. mos, aSiur. tafauiula-.
'-utIHdH- SCORPIONS and tulu muurtrIr
Nearly every uu" Nan uapiurui DO, Mf-
} sIrr Hrt-rh wlH simply s'ut after fl,u
hare .au iut
-ln nrr c,hliuuus NJ. Poster us~i
pa urdIuap Platform s|uirHurird o., 10
low vuNrn N|n iaUl'i Co. Iu.NrH tNv
rnah'. iiuIu S'tlhs asaN ihH drH we
HIHI af IIu t.H HU Hi4t rH4.I 900 lU 90 al
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