Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1875 — A Snake Story. [ARTICLE]

A Snake Story.

Lucv H. Hoofer writes from Paris to the Philadelphia Press: “ Apropos of the ‘ Tour du Monde,’ a story is told about the serpent scene which may bear repeating. The mechanic who was intrusted with the task of manufacturing the snakes for that scene made one beforehand as a specimen, and started to take it to the Porte St. Martin for inspection. He proceeded to the omnibus station, deposited his snake (neatly coiled up, packed in a parcel and covered with paper) on a seat in the office while he went to get his ticket. One of his fellowpassengers, a woman of thievish propensities, was attracted by the appearance of the package, took possession of it and slipped out of the door to open it. She untied the string and out popped the huge green serpent with red eyes, in remarkably lively condition from the long compression of the steel spring in his body. The unfortunate female uttered a piercing shriek and straightway went into hysterics, so the owner of the snake soon regained possession of his property and the would-be thief was marched off to the station-house.