Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1874 — A Boy Snake-Charmer. [ARTICLE]

A Boy Snake-Charmer.

Ok Nineteenth street, near the C., D. & M. Railroad track, stands a small frame house, off to itself in rather a des-olate-looking locality. A family named Vallandingham occupies this house, and among them is a boy named Maurice, aged ten years. Yesterday morning our reporter was informed that this boy had a collection of thirteen snakes, comprising several different kinds, and one full-grown rattlesnake, which he handled fearlessly without drawing the fangs. The story seemed so improbable that a representative of the Telegraph was sent up to interview this youthful prodig}’ and his collection of snakes. With some little difficulty the Telegraph messenger found the house, situated as above described, and inquired for the snake-charmer. He was directed to a crowd of boys playing on the railroad track, and informed that he would find Maurice there. Approaching the boys, our reporter discovered one of the number seated alone a short distance from the balance of the crowd, and apparently taking no interest whatever in their play. He appeared moody and silent, rather avoiding than aeeking any notice whatever. Upon being asked if he was Maurice, the snake-charmer, he rather languidly and indifferently said “yes.” The Telegraph man then expressed a desire to see -him handle his snakes, which was ably seconded by all the boys, who urged Maurice to bring out his pets. He positively refused to go to the house for the snakes, but when some of the boys volunteered to go for the slimv, ugly pets he agreed to display his skill in taming and handling them. Half a dozen boys ran over to the house and returned, each bringing in his hands several snakes from one to three feet in length, darting their forked tongues out as if in a terrible rage. Maurice handled the snakes as carelessly and indifferently as if they were strings; winding several of them around his neck, putting his fingers into the mouths of the venomous serpents, etc. He would actually take any one of them by the neck, and holding the snake’s head close to his mouth thrust out and withdraw his tongue, which would be immediately imitated by the snake. The performances of this'boy are truly wonderful and thrilling, actually excelling all the feuts of snake-charming performed by traveling showmen with long and hard-sounding names. With the sight is experienced naturally a degree of disgust at the familiarity of snakes, so abhorrent to all, with a human being. Maurice claims that he learned the art of snake-charming about a year ago from a man named Walton, who resides in the country near this city. The boy’s first attempt was with a rattlesnake which he found in the woods near Walton's house. He placed his foot on the neck of the serpent, so as to hold it down and leave the head free. Naturally the king of all snakes resented this insult with a fierce sound from his rattles and rapid movement of his tongue; but the boy looked the snake steadily in the eye for a moment, when the rattling and motion of the tongue ceased. He then stooped down, caught the snake just below the h-ad with his hands, and, raising the head to a level withhis face, looked steadih into his eyes for about one minute, wo-u all indication of anger on the part ot the serpent ceased, and the boy handled it as he pleased from that time! until Uay before yesterday, when it got j hurt and he killed it. This snake had eight rattles and was over three feet in length. Since that time the boy makes a sport of catching snakes. Last Saturday, in company with several boys about his own age, he went into the swamp above the fair-grounds, where he caught about one dozen snakes, which he now has. Not only does he tame the serpents so that he can handle them himself, but so completely does lie overcome the naturallv venomous instill cis and remove all warlike or resentful feelings from them that any person can handle them with perfect safety ever afterward. Yesterday there were about a dozen boys around Maurice, who seem to be his*little clan. He is both leader and supreme ruler in that crowd. Without the least exertion on his part he commands implicit obedience from his little hepchmen, who seem to regard him with a kind of awe. He has but to order to be obeyed with alacrity, and his little followers seem to feel a pleasure in recognizing one who has such unusual powers as leader; He docs not seem to value the power that renders him superior to other boys, and when exhibiting that power does it rather as a duty or punishment than pleasure; at least this was the manner in which he appeared yesterday. He sometimes decides to kill a certain snake among the number, and -all the persuasion and simple logic that his little i followers can produce fail to alter that j decision. He sometimes exhibits his snakes and his power over them for five j cents, and no doubt a small amount of money will readily overcome his objec- j tion to “bring out "the snakes” (as the j boys say) any time. —Dubuque (Iowa) Tel j egraph. e I