The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-06-11
! THE STROLLER

! THE STROLLER :
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"Snax," to use the spelling of the
late Artemus Ward, are queer animals
1t has been said by men and women
who make "a business Of handling
snax at carnival and other shows, that
another. 1t is true that almost any
one can handle snake-if he or she
so desires-the trick being in know
ing how to pick up the reptile and
not making any quick moves when the
critter squirms. Just the same, the
majority of us are willing to con-
cede the argument, and let the other
fellow experiment with the snake in
question. 1t remains, however, for NJ
b. Luther, press agent for Evans car
nival shows, which will be in Water
| town all next week, to spring the lat
est in snake stories. With the car
nlval company is a young lady, slight
OF form and weighing about 12O
pounds, who handles snakes as most
girls do pet doggie. Among her col
lection of animated garden hose is a
python of foreign extraction about
fourteen feet long, and if you tell the
young lady that her pet has no brains
| in his fiat head, you are in bad right
away
Several times during the season,
the big snake has slipped out of his
box, and headed straight for the
sleeping apaI tmentS of his trainer,
crawled into bed, and Struggled up
cozily. There are at least always two
others sleeping in the tent but the
python always finds the right person
and never mistakes the tent $50
far says Mr.. Luther, "the snake has
not learned to play a Jews harp or
dance the 'hootch, but there are
strong indications that it will learn
| to do so in time"
There are still some persons left
IN this country who believe in
spooks," remarked the portrait agent
| IN the hotel lobby the other day. 81
remember case the year before last
that made me smile, but as the smile
was to my advantage l let it go at
| that. One of our agents, picked up in
the back country a picture of an Old
gentleman whom his widow wished to
have enlarged to hang in the parlor
| over the hair-cloth sofa The picture
was an old 'tin-type' and the old gent
wit 1,o+
ing to bring the picture down to date
and civilization as much as possible,
the widow asked if there was any way
| that the hat could be removed. and
the old gentleman be made to look
ike he was tame. | replied that this
could be accomplished, and took the
picture and got busy with my brush
and some chemicals. l succeeded in
| removing the Old gents lid, and fax
ing nice part in his hair. and the
next morning took the picture out and
showed 1t to the widow She was
| pleased with Hiram's civilized appear
ance. and | packed the picture I'D
With others and sent it into the stu
1lo for enlargement. But something
| or other was the matter with nv
chemicals, and when the picture ar
rived at the studio, all traces of my
work had disappeared, and the old
boy appeared with his hat on as be-
core | had doctored it. Of course, the
Workmen at the studio knew nothing
| about my idea, and went ahead and
turned out an enlarged print with the
| nat on-the same as the original
"nen L received the picture and the
original back for delivery, l took the
two out to the old lady prepared for
an argument. But fate had been to
| work for me, and the moment that I
pulled the original picture out. the
Ola lady threw up her hands.
How did you get that back M"
she exclaimed.
Right there I got bunch, 81 never
put 1t back" | said, with nv most
impressive tone. at came back of
It's own accord for some unaccount-
able reason. You see, madam"
| But she interrupted me before | had
chance to queer myself by making
break to square things. Poor dear
dlram,' she sObbed. He did not want
MS picture to hang up without his hat
on. The spirits did it, that's what they
dld L know it, l know it. Poor Hi" I
look my cue right there and admitted
mat things looked very convincing,
ana the old lady get down the old
SOCK and counted out the price with
out a murmur.