The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1910-08-31
HIS SWEET MUSIC
CHARMED SNAKES
And Converted Them Into
Strange Performers.
TRUE STORY OF RARE MERIT
Weird Scene of Performing
Reptiles Brought Under
MuSic'S Spell.
AN OHIO COUNTY NARRATIVE

Here is a snake story that rivals
the richest dreams of the story writ
ers and again illustrates the old adj
age that truth is stranger than fic-
ton.
A limestone cliff just east of Mar
rows has long been the homing place
of the diamond-back rattlesnake, and
since they rarely leave the cliffs for
incursions into the fields, little or no
effort has been made to exterminate
them. Citizens here have frequently
taken visitors out to the Cliffs" on
sunshiny days to view the unusual
sight of half dozen rattlers crawl
ing iazily about on the Wide ledge OF
barren rock.
Mr.. Eugene Kirby, a local mer-
chant, is naturalist of no mean ac-
complishments, and is regarded here
as authority upon every living thing,
from a marsh mosquito to the biggest
quadruped. 1t is learned now that
for several summers Mr.. Kirby has
been quietly studying the habits of
the rattlers on cliff Hill" Mr..
Kirby studies animals purely for
scientific purposes and is very much
averse to attracting attention to his
work. 1t was only by the merest &C
cident that the writer discovered Mr..
Kirby exercising the most remarka-
BILE control and direction over the rat
tiers. Having occasion to pass near
the Cliffs" I heard echoing from
their heights the low, soft notes of
violin.
Approaching nearer, saw Mr..
Kirby, violin in hand, standing upon
the ledge and five large rattlesnakes
lying pfIsively at his feet. was
anxious to know the relation, if any,
between the violin music and the
snakes, but knowing Mr.. Kirby's
well-known aversion for being OBJ
served while at his scientific work,
waited unobserved, for developments.
Presently Mr.. Kirby slowly but
softly drew his bow and broke the
still air with measured notes of low,
sweet music. Strangely enough, the
venomous reptiles at his feet began
to move with almost perfect time
to the MUSIC of the violin. They
ri oh
with easy, rhythmic movements in
perfect order and time. Presently
the music stopped and curiously
enough, the rattlesnakes came at
once to rest. For a few moments the
violin was mute and the reptiles,
each with his head slightly poised,
were still as the stone upon which
they rested.
My curiosity was stirred to it's
depths. was all anxiety to know
what further spell the gifted must
clan could throw over his coldblood-
ed subjects. had only moment to
wait till Mr.. Kirby produced from
somewhere not apparent to me a
bunch of roses and gave one to each
of the reptiles. Each of them
grasped in its mouth the stem of a
rose and at a signal from the per-
former there began a concert
strangely wild and novel. The vio-
linist struck up a slow and sepulch-
raj air and the snakes, waving grace
fully their rose-decked heads, each
set his quivering rattlers to song and
the mixed orchestra awoke the rock
caves above 1t to weird and novel
melody.
l shrank quietly away and Mr..
Kirby will know for the first time
that his strange sovereignty over the
cliff rattIers has been discovered only
when he reads this account of 1t In
The Herald. ]. H. THOMAS.