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

ewarmlng with workmen, who were
concreting the alligator pool, finishing
the big wall cases, dividing the cen
trail "installauon" for turtles, and do
Ing hun~ed other things. The
opening day was relentlessly drawing
nearer and nearer, and we were anxi-
slsly assembling live beasts, birds
adrl reptiles with which to fill the
wfrlous installations that would be
opened to the public on that occasion.
Down at Barteps place we anxiously
examined his stock of live serpents,
and made many purchases. The most
important acquisition was a black
allied python, between fourteen and
ffteen feet long, fresh from some East
indian jungle; chosen because its size,
It's perfect condition and favenous ap-
,etite 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 it
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 n dozen other
things, we quartered all our live stock
In a closed yard at the rear of the
storehouse. A cleared space in the for
est about one hundred feet square
had been enclosed by tight board
fence, and in this were dozens OF tenn
9oraly cages and pens Of all sizes, filed
with wild creatures, impatiently
awaiting the opening day-and better
quarters. In one corner of this yard
we had hurredly erected n cook house,
which in appearance was similar to n
Western claim shanty. 1t stood low
upon the ground, and the most con-
spicuous object within it was a live
ly, 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, a 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 certain day, but when 1 left the
park at nearly seven o'clock, it had
not arrived. and seemed very unlikely
to do so that nignt.
I 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.. Dltmars
would like to have me help hunt for
the snake. May go now?"
"Hunt for what?"
"The big snake. 1t escaped last
nightr'
"Whatl That big python?"
Eyes, sir"
Horrors" said I; 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
arrived late the previous evening, and
during the night had found this open
ing and joyously glided through to
freedom.
TO think OF that big serpent at lib
erty in the Geological Park! had no
great fear that it would harm any one,
but the publicity! The busy place
was humming with gossipy workmen
from all parts of the city; the report
ers would surely learn of the python's
escape; before my mental vision rose
columns upon columns of newspaper
articles headed: "Terror In the Bronx!
Monster Serpent Loosep' panic in
the New Zoov' and the thought OF all
this was more appalling to me than
the countenance of any wild beast l
had ever met. Great would be the
surprise and chagrin of the geological
Society, and the humiliation would be
almost unbearable. Truly, this was a
pretty way to start new Geological
Park!
AT the animal yard l found dozen
men and boys ut work very quietly,
like sensible fellows, trying to find
the vanished python. My first act was
to send for several more men and
start them searching systematically
but without any noise OF fuss, through
every square yard of the low bushes
outside. Their orders were to searcl
In ever widening circles. discover ths
snake If possible, and In the event OF
doing 30, silently TO mark the spot and
bring word TO me. Leaving this par
OF the hunt in full progress. returned
TO the yard.
IL seemed probable that the pythor
hau crawled under some one of, tn,
many cages, platforms or buildings
nhder several of which It could easil,
nave found refuge. If 1t had gone un
ger anything else than the big. spread
Ing storehousc building, which wa
thirty-hve feet wide by one hundre,
ana thirty feet long we might find /
before 1t could escape into the forest
III, however. It had hidden under thu
extensive building. we were in
Quandary.
The men continued to look unde
various things. likely ana unlikely
and presently they discovered broa,
mark which seemed to be the traII o
sne serpent, leading under the cook
T.