SNAKES AND SNAKE STORIES 427 



were busy feeding or scratching themselves. 

 I turned to the policeman. "Officer," said I, 



"WHERE is THE SNAKE?" 



"In that box," he replied, pointing to the one 

 upon which the proprietor was seated. 



"When I jumped into the door," said the officer, 

 "the big sarpent was right over there. It was 

 coiled up ready to strike and held its head six feet 

 from the floor; it opened its mouth as wide as I 

 can open my hand, and then sprung right at that 

 man. What did he do? Why he just struck out 

 and ketched the snake by the neck and with the 

 same motion of his arm swung the thing around 

 and brought it ker-slap into that box, then before 

 the snake knowed what it was doing, he clapped 

 the board on the box and sat on it." 



"That's just where I came in the store; but hon- 

 est, officer, how big was that snake?" 



"HE'S A PRETTY BIG ONE," 



said the proprietor. "He's a python, a new one 

 that has just come in. He made his escape from 

 the box before I noticed it. But you can have a 

 look at him," and with that the man got up, and 

 began to lift the board from the box, but before 

 he could do so the policeman and I both made a 

 bolt for the door. 



"Oh! hold on," said the man, "they're all quiet 

 now, they will not hurt you;" and with that he 



