Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-12-14
Saint Maru's Beacon
Snake Charmer Tells



Trade Secrets.
An industrious snake eharmer 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 10 hypnotic
power, over his sinuous fellow per-
formers, but said that everything
lay in a close acquaintance with the
snakes. After that a snake charm
err must be O person Of eternal vigi-
lance.
He could never be quite sure what
a snake would do. The snake that
he had handled q hundred times
with perfect safety might turn on
him the hundred and first time.
One indication was especially to
be trusted. A snake, like cat,
shows it's anger by aslow movement
of the tail. When the tail begins TO
wag the snake charmer must put
aside the angry serpent and fetch
out another II his little turn is TO be
done with safety.
This particular snake charmer
was especially skillful In the hand
ling Of pythous. The python, &C.
cording to his account Of the matter,
being a constructor, is usually held
to be non 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
castof skin. In this condition the
creature is extremely nervous and
sensitive, easily provoked to anger
and somewhat venomous.
At other times the python is to be
feared for the blow he strikes. 1t
is like the kick of a mule and no man
can stand up against it. The py-
thon strikes a man in the breast or
near the waist. II 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 800 to 5000 each, the bus
mess required some outlay of CAPT
tai. He could not safely work with
strange snakes. With three py-
thons whose temper he understood
he could be pretty sure of always
ha"'ng at least one to work with.
40 had to study the condition of a
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 disturb
ed were likely todisgorge what they
had eaten. 1t is serious matter to
lose q meal when meals come two
weeks apart. Sometimes a snake
would die from being disturbed too
soon after feeding. 1t was not diff,
hcult to replace q snake, for New
York is an excellent market, but the
loss of python was a serious mat
ter financially, and new snake had
to be studied before it could be pub
licly exhibited.
The important thing in picking up
u snake was first to distract his at
tention. This was commonly done
by holding o 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 seize it.
He must take q 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 another
~ y. San.