The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-06-24
SNAKE CHARMER TELLS TRADE SECRETS.

An Industrious snake charmer re-
hearsing behind the scenes of an East
Side hall paused long enough in his
work the other day to let out some
professional secrets.
He made no pretense to hypnotic
power, over his sinuous fellow per-
formers, but said that everything lay
in close acquaintance with the
snakes. After that snake charmer
must be person Of eternal vigilance.
He could never be quite sure what
a snake would do. The snake that
he had handled hundred times with
perfect safety might turn on him the
hundred and first time.
One indication was especially tob
trusted. A snake, like cat, shows
its anger by a slow movement of the
tail. When the tail begins to wag
the snake charmer must put aside the
angry serpent and fetch out anotherif
his little turn is to be done with safety.
This particular snake charmer was
especially skillful in the handling of
pythons. The python, according to
his account of the matter, being a
constructor, is usually held to be nom
venomous, but the bite of the python
is to be avoided when the snake is
shedding his skin.
At that time the python is blind
from a film that comes over the eyes,
a film that is shed with the cast-off
skin. In this condition the creature
is extremely nervous and sensitive,
easily provoked to anger and some
what venomous.
At other times the python is to be
feared for the blow he strikes. 1t is
like the kick of mule and no man
can stand up against it. The python
strikes man in the breast or near
the waist. If he is disabled by the
blow the snake may coil about him
and do him mortal harm.
The snake charmer found it neces-
sary for success in his business to
keep three pythons, and, as they cost
from $1oo to 5000 each, the business
required some outlay of capital. He
could not safely work with strange
snakes. With three pythons whose
temper he understood he could be
pretty sure of always having at least
one to work with.
He had to study the condition of
snake before undertaking to exhibit
it. The snakes were fed every two
weeks, and the snake charmer found
that it was unsafe to handle them
much until three or four days after
their meal.
In the early stages of digestion they
required quiet, and if disturbed were
likely to disgorge what they had eaten.
1t is serious matter to lose a meal
when meals come two weeks apart.
Sometimes snake would die from
being disturbed too soon after feed
ing. 1t was not difficult to replace a
snake, for New York is an excellent
market, but the loss of a python was
a serious matter financially, and
new snake had to be studied before
it could be publicly exhibited.
The important thing in picking up
snake was first to distract his atten-
ton. This was commonly done by
holding cloth in front of the creature.
Instantly the eyes of the snake were
fixed upon the cloth and then was
the moment for the snake charmer to
seizeit.
He must take firm hold just be-
hind the head and not far enough
back to permit the snake to turn upon
him. After that the snake charmer
must be wary, gentle, and ready upon
the slightest sign of the snakes anger
to put the creature back in his cage
and get out another.-N Y. San.