Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-01-27

who commanded the gunboat, receiv.
ed the lieutenant with evident relief,
| ard quickly made him acquainted
With the situation in which they were
placed.
1t seemed that the Seattle, on her
way from Montevideo TO New Yorlr.
had taken on board live specimen
OF q rare species of boa or python,
found only in the valley of the Rio de
In Plata. 1t had been captured for
the New York zoo, but before finding
permanent home in the snake housa
there, 1t was going for a short stay
at the Smithsonian institution rho
boa at first had been rather sluggish,
taking hut languid interest in It's
surroundings, and had given them lit
tie trouble. Later, however, the sea
air or the motion of the vessel had
aroused it, and finally it had man.
aged to break out of it's case and
roam around at will. Fortunately, IT
seemed to be in very peaceful mood
and had not yet offered to attack any.
one without provocation.
"The python, believe, is not a pois-
onous SNAKE" remarked Lieutenant
Hennessy. "If enough of you pile
on, you can easily secure 1t and put
it back into it's cage without any dan
ger. / don't see that you need any
helm from u.s."
The captain smiled mirthless,
sickly smile. "You don't know what
you're talking about" he said. "You
haven't heard the whole story yet.
We can't handle it roughly. why,
man! that snake is n regular minel
It's full Of dynamite!"
"Dynamite!" exclaimed the lieu-
tenant, "why, where could it get dy-
namite?"
ut was some we were using to kill
sharks" explained the captain. I'VE
attached the dynamite to a wire con-
nected with an electric battery. bal:-
ed 1t with. piece of salt pork"
II see," said the lieutenant. $50
thu snake swallowed some Of the dy-
Mantle, eh?" He eyed the baskinS
reptile thoughtfully. What was to be
done? Though still a young man,
he was not without many years of ex-
perience at sea. On board the Okla
homa he was looked up to by all a.
man Of much ingenuity and many
expedients, yet hero was a nut that
seemed to be hard for him to crack.
Have you tried to chloroform itf"
he asked suddenly. A wild hope
dawned for moment in the captains
eye and as quickly died out again: he
shook his head mournfully. NO" he
said, "but it won't let US get near
enough to try IL. We thought OF SHOW
ing it gently on to piece of sea-cloth
and then pulling the whole business
overheard, but as soon as any of US
came near it began to slam around
on the deck" He shuddered at the
thought of vhat might have happen
ed. Besides. / don't think we have
any chloroform"
Anyway, it might have hit on the
side Of the ship and exploded" COM
mented the lieutenant. THAT would
have been just as bad as on deck. I've
all idea, though. If you could find out
where the snakes stomach is loo
But he never told his plan, what
ever it was. Something happened
just then that held him and every
body else spellbound with excitement
The big snake leisurely uncoiled it.
self and glided to the side railing
Everyone held his breath as it crawl
ed down the rope ladder and landed
in the bottom of the Oklahoma's boat
with a little thump that sent every
mans heart into his mouth. Captain
Simmons wiped the perspiration from
his brow and looked at the lieutenant.
The lieutenant looked at the captain,
"It's our boat" he said uneasily, but
the captain gave no heed. He walked
over to the side where the snake had
disappeared, and as he leaned on the
railing, he sawed with his pocket
knife at the rope holding the boat
fast, till 1t parted. AS the little dane
ing cockle-shell fioated off with 1t
dangerous passenger. a unanimous
sigh of relief rose involuntarily from
the crew of the Seattle.
But the lieutenant did not look
very happy. He was still more per-
turbed when Captain Simmons sud-
denly disappeared into his cabin and
emerged with rifle. into which he
smilingly slipping shell. Cant bs
helped" he replied to the remonstrat.
ing lieutenant. as he carefully aimef
at the now distant boat, 1.-The navy
regulations direct us to destroy all
floating mines and other things likely
to prove a menace to navigation" He
pulled the trigger, and miniature
water-spout off in the distance great.
ly mystified the watching officers Of
the Oklahoma.
81 wonder why 1t is" said Fanny
Richards to her cousin, as they were