The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-26
DADDSEV[N[NG
.ARY TALL 6J
~ MARY GRAHAM BONNER
SNAKE TSARINA.

Every little while" said the great |
big snake, in the zoo, II believe in
causing folks trouble.
perhaps I shouldn't say like to
cause trouble, but 1 like to do things
differently and get every one excited.
And why shouldn't l? l am the big
gest snake in the whole world-that
is what my keeper says-and / was
brought to the zoo twelve long years
ago.
I'm sure / wouldn't know the
length of time except the keeper is
always telling people that l have been
here twelve years and that that is a
good long time. All, it's fine to live
a long time if one is a snake, a nice,
wriggling, kissing snake"
"Hiss-hiss, ha, ha," laughed Mrs.
| Garter Snake, from her cage next
| door.
| whats the matter with you, Mrs.
| Garter; are you overcome from talk
ing to such a great and big and mag
! nificent snake as l am? If so, l shall
| stop talking for moment, for it is
| true. was talking to you, and it was
| a great honor for me to show you. l
would have talked to some of the 9th
er snakes as wen, only all of them
have been sound asleep for a long
time"
Il don't know that it was such an
honor to be talked to when every
other creature is asleep and can't
hear" said Mrs. Garter.
There, there" said the big snake,
named the Tsarina, which meant some
thing like queen, Il know you are
making rude remarks only because you
are embarrassed and shy. For it is
always an honor to have me notice a
, smaller snake, no matter how many of
our friends are asleep and can't prop
erly be talked to. Well, well, will
have pity upon you, and pause until
you regain your breath"
THE shyness, If there was any, is
all over WITH said Mrs. Garter. 81
) wish you would listen to me for mo-
ment though"
GLADLY" said the Tsarina. 81 am
not too big snake to listen to a
smaller one. l am like magnificent
people who are very great who Will
listen to the shouts and applause Of
the small and the weak"
"Well," said Mrs. Garter, 'you said
it was fine to live a long time if one
happened to be a snake, n nice, wrig-
Cling, kissing snake"
MY very words" said the Tsarina.
'Yes, exactly what / said. You have
good memory, Mrs. Garter. make
bow to you-that is 1 wriggle once,
especially for you. That is to show
you l congratulate you on your mem
DRY and for your good sense in re
Numbering what / said"
But l don't see," said Mrs. Garter
"why you said it was fine to live a
long time if one happened to be q
: snake, ETC., etc. Why didn't you say
it was fine when all snakes lived a
long time, for all snakes were so nice
4 and wriggling and kissing? 1t is true
all folks don't think we are so nice
: though.
: But to return to your first thought
, or first speech. You said you believed
in causing trouble every little while
Tell me about that? Do you mean be
cause you got out of your cage today
and went wriggling around the whole
snake house and the keeper and man!
1 men had to cover you with a huge rus
to catch your
4 "Yes, hiss-hiss, wasn't that a joke
= / got them all so excited. And / hat
}. | the place to myself, / did, / showed
Y what q queen 1 was-ruling every ont
. | with my wriggles instead of my sceptr,
and my crown-for / haven't thos,
. two things.
II "You see," the big snake continued
81 had just had little indigestion
from eating forty-pound pig. Usual
ly such a meal doesn't upset me, Blu