The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-24
From the New York Press.

From the New York Press.
 n RECEPTIONS to snakes probably
 N will become one of socety's pop A A ular pastimes this winter, for in the studio of Edmund Russell. psycholog- ical painter and poet, at No. 40 West Thir- ty-ninth street, yesterday afternoon there was held a pink tea which a F foot python was the guest of honor. Of course, technically, the entertainment was held in honor of the serpent's mis- tress, the Princess Sita Diva of India, who obliged Russell's titled, fashionable and gilded Bohemian guests with a dance, the nature of which will make it unnecessary for the dancers host to use his steam heat for fully week.
 Actually, however, the serpent-a sleepy, sinister creature-was the center of at traction. Such well known persons as Mrs. Jackson Guoraud, Representative William Sulzer, the Baroness de Bazus and Rustum Jee, who is equally we'll known in Broadway and in Main street, Bombay, paled visibly beside the python as a studio entertainer. Incidentally, they paled literally whenever the Prin- CCSS PCI Dc6di pci ciIolilih6 ooiOihS dance on the Russell rugs. Kaa is the snakes name, and it IS understood by Russell to be lineal descendant of the Kaa in KipNng's Jungle Book-the one that devoured young monkeys in the moonlight of the ruined city.
 Kaa is by no means an ordinary python, Worshipped by the Hindus as the symbol of nature, it heretofore nas passed most of it's career gliding sacredly about one of Calcutta's biggest temples, the object of adoration from many thousands of East Indian devotees. That it ever re- ceived more attention in India, however, than it did in West Thirty-nnth street yesterday is considered doubtful.
 Russells ornately picturesque abode was more crowded than it ever has been be- fore and those who know the painter-poet concede his ability to transform his studio into a human sardine box on any occa- sion. And not one of the dozens of be- jeweled matrons and maids present failed to pay homage to the Princess's python, at least to the extent of touching the shining scales with timid fingers. Sew eral of them, at the behest of the royal East Indian herself, leaned forward and pressed their lips to the cold skin of the squrming serpent. All of which pleased the Princess nightly, for it is her ambi- tion to create in this country a sect of snake worshppers similar to the Hindu variety
 Your religion is beautiful, but, oh, so dull" sighed the young woman as she fondled the heavy body coiled about her slender shoulders. ''Why should there not be injected into it the glorious worship of nature in the guise of the serpent? There is that which is so mysterious, so infinite- ly wise, and yet so simple about such a creature as this which makes it an idol far more interesting, not to say thrilling, than many of your Christian symbols "Perhaps the Princess is right" Mrs. Gouraud, who at var,Jus times has had three husbands, remarked when the above doctrine was quoted to her. Personally, however, I believe snakes are like babies mice to look at from distance. but un- pleasant to caress'
 There were many nationalities-Chinese, Japanese, East Indian, French, Italian, Spanish. German, Russian and a spriilk- ling of Americans-in the Buddha lined
 studio when Russell announced the ar rival of the Princess Sta Diva. space of about 10 feet square was cleared for the graceful daughter of Oriental kings | in front of Russell5s gold throne. The host himself advanced, introduced the Princess in sonorous tones and proceeded | to enlighten his hearers concerning the
 Garden of Eden by reading Rossertis
 poem on that subject At Its conclusion
 the dance began
 ] Having pared her attire down close to
 the vanishing point, the Princess started to dance in real earnest. Another girl
 attendant, quaintily called Lakshmi, slid | forward, dropped on one knee and handed the immense python 70 its mistress ! Thereupon began a series of movements
 on the part of the snake and the damsel of the Orient so dazzingly intricate il
 was difficult to know which of the two wigged and twisted the more. Int