The Ordway new era., 1914-04-03


the blame snake. He won't eat and
I've tempted him with the best could
get. l guess I'll run down to the
Bowery and get one OF those snake
sharps to come up and have look at
him; l believe his teeth need filing
II knew he was stuck on girl that
was doing turn in a music hall down
that way, but business was dull SO l
let him go without raising a holler.
The next day he comes back with a
jaw-carpenter who claimed he knew
all about snakes and wnen he gets
through looking at Pcte's mouth we
felt pretty blue.
"'Canker!' says he. Your little
snakelet may live month
We'll. that put it up to US to get
busy, SO l did the spelling on the out
side until my voice gave out, and Mer-
ritt lied on the inside until he was
black In the face. telling about how
many sheep old Pete swallowed every
week. We had a lot of rabbits and
doves with him in the cage, hopping
and flying around behind the thick
glass front. and they were real So
ciable with old Pete, who never bat
ted an eye at 'em At the end OF the
month he was looking pretty thin and
we were afraid he would peg out any
day. 1t was hard luck on US, for things
were coming our way and our bank
rolls were getting good and plenty
thick and they were all yellow boys
from the case card to the wrapper.
Our wads grew fatter as Pete grew
thinner, and we we're looking for some
easy mark to unload him onto. when
one morning Merritt comes running
out, just as was staving OF farmer
who had heard him lie and brought
around flock of scabby sheep to sell
to US for snake food.
"'Jim, he yells, grabbing me by the
shoulders and waltzing around like
whirling dervish, well make Rockefel-
Ter look like thirty cents; old Pete has
swallowed every blame pigeon and rab-
bit In the coop!'
"It seemed too good to be true. but
when I went to have look there was
not feather nor a piece Of fur to be
seen and old Pete was examining all
the corners of the cage to see that he
hadn't overlooked bet. He looked .
whole lot better already, and Merritt
and began to discuss what we should
do with all our money.
But say, there was one thing we
forgot to reckon on-the appetite he
had been saving for about year. and
although the money came In faster
than ever, most of 1t went out to the
rabbit men and pigeon fanciers.
you know that when snake swal-
lows an animal you can see the bulge
in him for long time, but you couldn't
see any in old Pete. He was just the
same size all the way from his nose
to the tip OF his tail. for there was no
space between the animals.
Things began to lopk pretty serious
for us, for we had used up all the
available small live stock in the sur
rounding country. and the Inhabitants
got onto the fact TINT we were up
against their game and raised the ante
on US for what was left. It's like TAX
ing candy from a child to sell gold
brick to q farmer. but he everlastingly
gets back at you II you have to buy
any of his produce. Hungry Joe and
the man who invented the greengoods
game would be skinned to death II
they had to buy dozen eggs from one
Of 'em.
"Aad all the time old Pete kept a
constant procession of small animals
moving down his throat, regardless OF
expense. and II the supply ran short
he would look at Merritt SO reproach-
fully that 1t made him feel SO bad he
couldn't deliver his lecture for sobs.
He worked the pathetic on him. but
II came around there was no Only
three grains of corn, mother express
sion on his face; he would Just rear up
on his tail and lambast that glass try
ing to get at me.
I'VE had rented frame building In
little town up the river and were
showing him of in good form. Bust
ness was rushing and we had the S. r.
o. sign out all the time. but snake food
was getting scarcer than boiled lob
sters during the cold snap last winter.
The show had closed up for night and
we were trying to make dents in the
front of the tavern bar with our breast
bones and laying In stock of sup
plies. In case old Pete should bite us.
while we were discussing the best
way to stimulate the rabbit-breeding
industry, 'biff-boom-bang.' went the
town bell and the barkeep commenced
to peel off his coat and get into red
flannel shirt and fireman's helmet. 1t
was one OF those towns where they
have n dude volunteer fire department.
which the boys all Join for the So
cials in the winter and to look pretty
on the annual parade day. Merritt and
didn't hurry any. we kppw that II
would take some time for the chief.
who kept the town drug store, to get
into his shiny boots and select the bou-
quet to carry in the big end of his
speaking trumpet. Pretty soon. Al
ways Ready. Ever Faithful. Hose Com
pany Number One which comprised
the department, came down the street.
all of the company shouting orders