Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-03-03
SWALLOWED THEMSELVES.
Singular Performances OF Two Show
Serpents as Related by a
vernciOus Scribe.
we are AM here, | beIieve?"

I'VE are all here, | believer"
The conscientious press agent glanced
inquiringly at the group of reporters, re-
lates a New York Sun writer.
'"phen we may as well begin. Before
/ am through, gentlemen, you will see
that the urgency of M request for rep
resentatiyes of the press was by nc
means unwarranted. Even a press agent
has some conscience, and in this case.
gentlemen; | feel that my duty to the pub
lie outweighs my duty to my employers
"While 1t is true that the public an
houncement of the death OF Sinbad, the
most vicious, violent and venomous rep
tile in the collection of Nine. Medusa,
the soporiferous seother of sinuous SER
penis, will undoubtedly keep thousands
away from her daily exhibitions In tine
side show of the Ring Brothers circus.
yet-yet, gentlemen, in view OF the re-
markable manne in which this with
ing reptile met its death 1t would seem
unjust to posterity to withhold the de-
tails attending this"
Snake dead, eh?" interrupted an m
patient reporter. How'd 1t happen!
"'Twas a case of jealousy" explained
the press agent. For years Sinbad, OF
the Only Original Sin, as he was better
known on account of his vicious temper
reigned in unchallenged supremacy ovel
all of Nine. Medusa's snake chests.
"All went well until the advent OF
Cleopatra, the most regal reptile OF all
wriggling India, two days ago. There
was bad blood between her and the Only
Original right from the start, but NINE.
Medusa hoped in time to reconcile the
two to a life of harmonious happiness.
with this end in view Nine. Medusa
placed the two on the floor OF her tent
early this morning. For a time every
thing was lovely. Then, without any
warning the o. y Original thrust out
his fang and whispered:
"H-h-h-hhh!" which is an awful
thing for any snake to call another.
"H-h-h-hhh yerself!" snapped
back Cleo.
cat the same instant two black streaks
flashed through the air, and a moment
later a sinuous snarl of sissing serpents
was seething round the floor.
"Clop! Clop! Their jaws snapped
almost simultaneously at what, in the
general tangle, each mistook for the tip
of its rival tail.
mime. Medusa stepped forward to
separate the struggling s%erpents, but
suddenly sprang back, terror stricken by
the strange sight she saw.
I'm the mix-up of the occasion easch
snake had mistaken its W tail for that
of its rival and was consequently vi
ciously devouring itself.
Around and around, coil within coil,
each internally looped its loop.
"a sudden click brought Nine. Me-
dusa to her senses She rushed toward
the fast disappearing reptiles, but, alas,
too late!
Poor old Sinbad, the Only Original
Sin, had already breathed his last. He
had swallowed himself so rapidly that he
came to the back of his head with a sud-
denness that snapped his neck.
Cleopatra was rescued. Just as her
back teeth were about to pass in through
the front of her mouth, Nine. Medusa
seized her firmly with both hands, and
by dint of hard work succeeded in draw
ing her out of herself. But it was a close
call. A second later and Cleopatra
would have swallowed herself entirely.
How many times was the snake
coiled round in itself? Heavens! /
don't know. Nine. Medusa became dizzy
after extracting the thirteenth loop, and
lost all count. .
But you can figure 1t out for yourself
easily enough. The problems simply
this: If a 12-foot snake takes its tail in
its teeth, and eats 1t way round to the
back Of Its neck, how many times will
the tip of>its tail pass any given tooth?
But all that, of course, is a mere detail"