The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-10-15
A Willy ORIENTAL
Guile of a Tricky Native Snake
Charmer In India.
GATHERED IN THE SERPENTS.
u Was No Trouble to Him to Lure the
Reptiles Into His Basket, and the
Supply Was In No Danger Of Giving
Out and Losing Him a Job.

Reptiles Into His Basket, and the
Supply Was In No Danger Of Givino
Out and Losing Him a Job.
Among the numerous Objectionable
and dangerous creatures peculiar TO
the orient none Is more repulsive than
the snake. One shudders invountarily
as one thinks Of It's wiggling body and
vicious characteristics. During nv
residence In India | never felt safe
from Its presence. ! had my closets,
bed and even my bathtub searched ey.
cry day lest one should be found coied
up In some corner. writes Eliza X.
Van Bergen In the Christian Intelli.
| gencer
| was always on the watch for the
creatures and ever in mortal terror of
treading on one. IL never occurred TO
me to sleep without light, and a
stick was always near at band lest |
might end one unawares and be un.
prepared to meet 1t. even looked
upon my thin mosquito curtain as n
slight protection, for it would at least
break its fall should snake tumble
down suddenly from the ceiling.
The creatures have q decided pref
erence for cool. damp places and often
choose the bathroom and sometimes
the tub for their habitation, much to
the discomfort of its rightful habitue
1t Is not unalloyed bliss to live in a
place infested with serpents. With
such formidable enemies, one never
forgets to be cautions. nor TO guard
against their presence and sudden at.
tack. IL makes one alert to be in the
midst of danger and adds spice to life.
Well, as started out to say, my
garden was infested with snakes. and
was persuaded to have native
charmer summoned to, lure them
away. His hdeous occupation. weird
incantatlons and strange pets sur.
round the snake charmer with a ne.
culiar fascination. His magnetism
and skill are considered phenomenal
in the east
This specimen was tall and lank and
had deep. cavernous eyes and an alb.
stracted air. Some of the creatures
made him still more repellant. He
handled them as If they were per.
fectly harmless. About the neck he
wore n chain with flute attached.
Two other jugglers accompanied him.
similarly attired. but minus the
snakes. Ono carried a closed basket
on his arm.
He stopped at respectful distance
to make his "salaam." which is the
customary salute Of the country. Then
he approached the aloe hedge which
lnclosed my grounds. squatted himself
tailor fashion on the grass and began
to produce weird. plaintve sounds on
the dutc, TO which music the reptiles
cntwined themselves around him and
seemed TO sway their bodies to and
fro.
After some time snake appeared.
gliding slowly and stealthly out from
the hedge toward the spot where Il
heard the enchanting music. The
charmer allowed II to come quite
close and to wind itself around his
arm. Another followed and vet an
other, while the other two men stood
by holding basket ready TO receive
them as soon as they unwound them.
selves. AT least half dozen ap.
peared and were disposed of In this
manner After being captured they
appeared as II in stupor.
Horrified with his performance. | |
begged him to stop and babe him
leave the place, He assented and. !