WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 
the box, where it had been for about three months, until 
the arrival of the ship in England. 
The weather was very cold, and upon the box being 
opened the snake appeared to be quite dead ; it was lifted 
out and placed upon deck apparently lifeless. “Well,” 
said J , “ it will make a fine skeleton, and I will give 
a trifle for it for that purpose.” Not caring to throw it 
overboard, the captain told him to take it away, which 
he did. Upon reaching home he remarked to his wife 
that sometimes these things are only torpid, and, if 
properly warmed up, come to life again. 
Now Mrs. J knew well the value of a large boa 
“all alive,” and, without loss of time, made up a good 
fire in the kitchen, which was on the same floor with 
the shop and parlour ; the large serpent was removed from 
the box and laid out in the most convenient folds on the 
hearth. 
Mr. J going out on some business, left his wife to 
prepare the dinner and mind the shop. In front of the 
fire was suspended the joint of meat, and on the hob was 
the saucepan of water for the vegetables ; all was going 
“ merrily as the marriage bell.” 
Presently two ladies came to the shop to purchase a pet 
bird or two, and as ladies are apt to make a long job of 
these little matters, their stay was rather perplexing to 
Mrs. J , whose thoughts of spoiling the dinner by her 
absence from the kitchen more than once nearly caused 
her to offend these tiresome customers. 
Having got rid of the ladies Mrs. J rushed into the 
kitchen, when she was somewhat startled to find the floor 
flooded with water, the fire nearly out, and the boa non est. 
Now the only way to account for this state of things 
was that Mr. Boa had awakened from his long nap and 
had made his exit by the only way he could find, viz. up 
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