Show i he Bite Rattler of 0 F ite a and and the the L 4 H 4 Fate c of Big i Pete f V 4 He u e r na tho Ito pitcher which went vent to L L' Lna tiit tho tho well until unlit It met the thc pro- pro fate late the trainer entered I r the lions lion's lIen den once too often an and what hat remained of him was placed In Inan an ambUlance and taken to the tho hos hos- pital After the tho performance to foi or l' l the f. f evening was over Baltimore tho the ha had bad 0 lion who had suddenly developed n a a. a ln cru craving for llesh had been i dealt with by hy the tIt Proprietor of the menagerie In a manner which would I spoil hl his appetite for fm many a day lay to come and mul make e him hini remember that trainers cannot be he mangled with Im un- r J Most fost of or the lights extinguished extinguish extinguish- ed cd at Dreamland DI hut but two men tuen sat at nt atthe the table In front of or tho Arena Arent with iy t tho Proprietor discussing the accident acci acci- o dent and listening to stories of or form- form J vr r encounters which he related His IUs body lOdy bears the scars of many a battle buttle with his ills savage l ag charges eH but lie he has lias discontinued lI giving gi Jle personal exhibitions exhibitions ex ex- X with them In the large larg cage because his IiI wire wife has lias developed 4 a prejudice against having him brought to her In fm fragments ments and find ho has found round that the training training- o of trainers Is Is' a far more mote difficult task than the education tion of or wild animals Yes any man who follows this p- p business carries his life lite In his hands he lie said In Iii to a n question from the Stranger within tho pates gates You I. I helped to care for poor Bonavita to tonight tonight to- to It- It nl night ht after aftel Baltimore finished with 1 him ilin so you know what liat a lions lion's Jaws can do Ive I've seen era cm chewed up as ba bad as that bitt and get over it hut but the they J l i never ne get quite the same again Leave Leayo Leavet t- t the but business No o it is like the se sea tl- tl 1 a man who takes to it I keeps it up L t until the time lime comes S when he doesn't recover but after aCter n a bad accident he usually takes another lel breed of or animals ant ani s. mals l The rile worst t tight sight I ever cyer saw aw was f about five e years a ago o. o when one of or our performing bears turned on its trainer train train- t er r nn and seized his arm lie Ire worried it as a 0 terrier would a bone for a oI r good twenty minutes before beCore we could drive him off ort and aini th the bear died lell from w the punishment we gave him The TIre Theman's mans man's arm aria isn't much use to him now t for forme to him hut but he tiC is crazy me mc give gl another group of or animals to train J. J which I cant can't llo do do because a n man needs r two goo good pairs of limbs when he gets c into the exhibition cage g-e. g He Tic tol told of or many accidents which had ball happened happened hap hap- to himself and his I most of or them theta through their own carelessness care care- 0 I nes born of constant association with wl h their heir char charges es who never ml miss the he opportunity which the shortest instant of or forgetfulness gives themI them t I I dI said ald attack the bear was worst sight I ever cr taw saw and ancl it was c but hut something happened here last Lost year rc r which Impressed me mc more moro be- be it A A. friend carise was sas so mysterious Jt f of In Florida shipped me a aI ait I it box hox of rattlers which he wrote had been attended to an and I supposed r. r i. i I 0 rt- rt f i I lire Tho AVI c Guy f that their unison poison fangs tans ha lund had been cx- cx ij traded meted They were delivered just before before be- be I. I fore ore the performance started and I ripped a 0 board off oft the tho box and stuck i I i my hand in grabbing g them ono by 1 y c ono an and throwing them Into tho den en as ts if it the they were garter snakes 1 i j Tho Tire man who took toole care ro of or the tho theM M was out on the ballyhoo walkIng walk- walk f Ing lug around with Ith the Iho gander andel following follow- follow it lug ing him him to lo advertise the show and 1 L when ho camo in ho looked them f over and found that each one had ns as I pretty a pair of fangs tangs as you would to see so He lie told mo about It I 1 and I confess s that it gave me mc a LL gone 1 feeling in Iho tho pit of or my stomach for forI I remembered how ho I had felt around for tor thorn thom in Iho tho box with my bare baro I i am ani pretty busy h while a perform perform- f atice is going on oui so o I told him to let them alone until I ha had a chance to lo examine them Ninety per cent orthe ot or the accidents which occur In a menagerie men I a comes from ruin the disregard of or i ordinary precautions or tho the disobedience lice ence of or orders orders- and I had a mont that something was going to lipen pem an and I 1 was wa keeping an extra vigilant eye on out the performers In the lie liebig big exhibition cage Well oll It happened happen happen- ed ell all nil right but not In the lie way that I expected The Thc mn Instead ot or getting ha back bak k on tho ho ballyhoo Wh whore where IC ho be belonged belonged be- be lon longed ell stood Blood aloun around tho the mako cage watching this thi new rattlers rattler and along came camo a n couple o of who commenced com com- d talking about them Ono One of or thorn was WiS the wise vise gU guy who always knows about how the animals arc are doped s so they wont won't bile bite and all that other information which Isn't so o. o lie He Hev v commenced explaining how the snakes b vere harmless because their teeth had lieen and n I 1 lot hot o QC mh misinformation at about ur- ur ihn them The snake mat man listened until he lie coul could riot stand aland it an any longer and anti then he tuck stuck his hand into the tho cage an arid and grabbed one of ot the rattlers by the tho ileckI rieck I I Fangs pulled eh ell says he and ho lie made th the tho rattler open his mouth month and show a perfect pair o of stingers ers The wise guy took one look 1001 at them and und lied Hed th tho snake man would woul have o It oft ciff all right only ho he was so bu busy y calling g a few choice names after atter af at- ter him that ho he placed tho ho snake back in the ho cage cago Instead of or throwing it In and the thi rattler struck him him before he could coul draw his hand out Ho Ito had bad a n. clown up make on on so I 1 couldn't tell whether h he was wo pale or not when he heV i V came caine t to me a u. few minutes later and hel held 1 out his hand but there was a t queer expression on his face an and I knew that my apprehensions had hall not been groundless There were wele just two little red dots no bigger er than pin IHU heads S on the tho bac hack back of or his hand baird didn't I. I You got gol It It you ou says ms I II Good an and plenty says S 'S he My Iy arm olm hurts mo nie already ri ht and took We Ve got bus busy right away him hint up to 10 the tIre hospital where Jona- Jona vita ita is now non Sn Say he lie was a very thin man and y you ou cart can see that Im I'm no ho lightweight but h by ml midnight the thc right side of his body hody arid and his right arm arm mm and leg Ice were wore swollen to m my size and in the lie morning all an of the swollen part was a aa as black as a coal He lie was suffering terribly and I tried to g t tI I hold of tho Arab snake doctor but 1 1 i 9 if r J t ti h h f i I i j J. J ii- ii r it i- i H t l-A l A 4 u nI In procession l' l lon of or small animals I H h Juts Ills s h nt couldn't locate locale him so I wired to Rochester for 01 Rattlesnake Pete He lie I came caine down anti and a n mighty might interesting man he is but ut he coul couldn't nt do clo anything anything anything any any- thing which Doc Doe up UI at tire the hospital hadn't done and arid it was five days das be before before before be- be fore my man was out of or danger dangel Ho He was not a drinking man man nian-I I Unshed having drunkards aroun around my show shio a 0 good many S years ago and ago and the tho whiskey whis his hiskey I key c took toole right hold of him hUn and pulled him through Doc Doe I kept opt squirting some sonic red stuff Into his arm but it was as the lcd e red eye e which save saved him him and and that reminds me mu lie He beckoned to the waiter aller and each one ordered his Iris fa favorite 0 c antidote antidote antidote anti anti- dote for a possible snake bite Did Old he lie return to the show how asked ask asic- ed cd the lie Stranger after atter he lie had rendered rendered ren rca dered dereul himself immune lie He sure did l you ou couldn't keep him away but he lie has hos never ne been fond of or snakes sluice since It is the lie same sanie man whom you ou saw putting tho the group of ot elephants through their paces to to- to- to ii night ht I gli t. t It was vai growing late an and the Proprietor Pro Pro- announced that he lie was going to show his wife wiCe a 0 good husband and said night good but the Stranger waited for the stor story which he ho saw aw was trembling upon his Iris companions companion's lips and induced the tire sleepy sleep waiter waller to bring a farewell dose ose of snake bite antidote The man man was sas unknown to him l IJ by name bu bu hu hiI his personality promised etl to be Interesting for hl his face taco spoke of or good living hiving the rc red of ot his complexion was evl evidently not entirely due duc to exposure to the he sun and Ind the little sacs un under er the lie eyes oes Indicated In In- that he was apt to be the last lastor lastor or of a u convivial party to suggest breakIng break break- big Ing up lIe He had listened to the Proprietors Proprietor's stories with tho the same amo bored expresIon expression expression sion Ion which Noah might wear in hearIng hearIng hearing hear hear- ing the experiences of or a survivor of ot the Johns Johnstown town Hood and ho he looked regretfully at the vacant chair now that his turn urn had come I Snakes he lie exclaimed with a n contemptuous contemptuous con con- I snort What does docs the boss know snow about em cm I used to own the only only snake that was worth having hayIng Ever hear of or Big Pete Peto The Stranger confessed his Ignorance and anti the other settled seUle back in his chair and lighted a fresh cigar elgar Ill tell you OU about him then You know enow that a sn snake kc Is Isa a qU queer er prop proposition prOpOs prOpOs- sl- sl tion in a menagerie They get sore mouths mouths canker s canker el tho the fakirs call Jl Han It- It an and amid wont won't cat eat and then if youve you've got all any investment In em cm you ou want to get it out mighty quick for they aro are no orchids I was as pretty well on m my uppers up up- pers pel'S 5 after a had bad season reason on tho the road when a a guy named Merritt came to tome tome me inc and said he could get a line fine snake e cheap on anti and he thought he might mako 0 some sonic mone money out of him him by showing him to lo the Rubes nubes at the count county fairs faits What hat I didn't know about snakes would have filled a 0 book but when wizen I saw this one I knew It H was a bargain It was the biggest snake that ever gave a a. wriggle and the tho only reason Its lis owners had not made a fortune fortune for for- tune tulle was because it was never properly properly properly prop prop- erly advertised I used to know just how much he ho weighed and how long longhe longhe longhe he was hut m my brain got so BO tired figuring up the money we made malle out of him that Ive I've ha hind had u no memory for Cor flo lic- u urea cs since n. n I Well as I said I was pretty prett hard hardup hardup up UI but hut I had this sparkler left lell for tor fall fail monc money and when I saw that I snake I pushed It over my uncles uncle's counter Ho lie pointed to a a. large largo yellow yel yol- cl low io- diamond in lii his scarf and amid the tho Stranger tried to make a a. mental menial calculatIon cal- cal of of a 0 pawnbrokers pawnbroker's valuation o of it Merrill Merritt manage managed to dig l up some sonic mazuma and 1 wo we chipped In fifty a piece picco nail and became the PlOU proud possessors pos- pos ors ors of or Big Pete Pet If It I had been heen wise to the business I would woul have havo havel l I there was something wrong to tomake tomake make tell him so cheap but we more J Noah lI listens to the title lalu of Johnstown Hood survivor bur than got our money back out of himlie him the lie first t week so we had no kick coming Tho The newspaper boys were good to us and arid gave ave us a lot of space and we were playing on velvet am amhad and had Pete besides It was waN such a n cinch that Merritt who looked ed after tho lie snake while I did dill the spieling and sold tickets on the front commenced com corn to got get et worried for tor fear tear w we should lose him Jim says sas he lie to me one morning when business was us a 0 little dull I 1 believe be be- lieve theres there's something phony about abou tho the blame snake Ho lie wont won't cat anc and Ive I've tempted him with the best I could get I guess Ill I'll run down own I to the Iho Bowery Hower and get one of those thos snake sharps to como come up um and have a L look ook at him I believe bellevo his teeth need filling I 1 knew he ho was stuck on a girl that lint was as doing a Lam turn in Iii a music hall huh down lown that lint way but business was as dull so I let him him go without raising a holler loller The next tIny lily he lie comes back with a Jaw carpenter who ho claimed he knew enow all nil about snakes and und when ho lie gets gels through h looking bolting at Pete's Petes mouth vo we felt fell pretty prell blue Canker says loS he Your little may live c a mouth month Well Veli that lint put hut It up UI to 0 us to 0 get busy so I 1 did lid the he spieling on the out- out Illo until m my molee voice olee gave e a out out and Men lit lied on n lie Ow Inside until ho he was black in IIi the face tace telling the tho Rubes Robes about how man many sheep old Pete swallowed s al lowed every ClY week We TO had lund a lot Jot of and amid doves loVes with him hun in Imi the Iho ca cage e hopping arid and flying Hying around behind be- be hind the tho thick glass front and the they ere vero real sociable with old Pete Pele who never no batted balled an un eye CO at em era At the Iho end cad of tire the month he was looking l pretty n letl thin Inn and amid we wc were cre afraid lie ho would out day It peg lies an any was hard ti luck uck on us for were coming coining our wa way vay and our bank rolls were get get- et- et Ing good anti and plenty thick and they were veto all yellow ellow boys boys' from flom the tire case card to lo the wrapper Our wads grew strew fatter allor as Pete Peto grew thinner and amid wo we were cre 1001 looking ln sonic some easy mark to unload him him onto when one morning Merrill Merritt comes conies running out just as I Ivas Iwas Iwas was vas staving off a farmer wh wire who had heard icard him lie and brought mound lound a alock lock hock of scabby sheep to sell us for snake nake food J Jim ho Ire yells c 11 S grabbing STabbing mo me II by ho time shoulders ers arid and around like Ike a whirling dervish well make malo Vanderbilt and Rockefeller look Ionic lIko thirty cents old Pete Peto has swallowed ever very every blame pigeon an and amid rabbit in Iii the tire I coop I It teemed too good to be true hue but nil when I went to 10 have a n look here was vas not a feather nor a of Curto fur Cur furo furto to o be seen an and amid old Pete was as examIning exam exam- Ining all the corners of the Iho cage to toce see ce that he lie hadn't overlooked o cd a bit hit lie He Ic looked a whole irole lot Jot better better- alread al- al read reach cady and amid Merrill Merritt |