OUR PETS. By S. S.
(Concluded from p. 53.)
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My interest in the taming of strange creatures being widely known, I received various contributions from a distance, and once had the pleasure of learning that a tame snake awaited my acceptance, whenever I would go to claim it. Soon afterwards I travelled in the direction of this promised treasure with two friends, who accompanied me in a chaise. One of these friends, a lady, very naturally expressed her horror at the prospect of such a companion; but I assured her it was so completely secured in a strong wire cage, that it was impossible it should escape. It was of course one of the harmless kind, but this seemed to make little difference. A snake was a snake to her; and as we travelled along, with the cage at the bottom of the carriage, I saw my friend sometimes lift up her feet with a shudder of disgust, while her expressive face looked unutterable reproaches at me. I confess I felt rather shocked myself; but I endeavoured to reassure my friend, by continued protestations, that her fears were groundless, for that any escape of the enemy was out of the question. In this manner we travelled until arriving at a hospitable dwelling where we were to spend the night on our way home. After my friend had alighted, I took out the cage with great care, and conveyed it into the house. But what was my consternation, when, on looking for the snake, I discovered that the cage was empty, and the door open, most likely unfastened by the shaking of the journey. I ran back to the carriage; there, at the bottom, was the snake; and my friend had the satisfaction of thinking, that, during the whole journey, this creature had been coiling at its pleasure about her feet. A warm womanly friendship will bear a good deal; but my friend was accustomed to say she thought hers had been rather too severely tried.
This snake was a member of our household for many months, but I do not think it ever afforded me much pleasure; and sometimes I must confess that its creeping, coiling motion caused me an involuntary shudder. It was very tame, would hang on my arm, and exhibited no inclination to leave me; only sometimes, when the sun shone upon it, I observed such an accession of apparent life and animation, with such quick darting movements, that I saw it would escape; as indeed it did at last, without leaving me anything to regret. Indeed the manner in which it was necessary to feed the snake was so revolting, that having seen it once, and only once by accident, I determined from that time that the snake should be at liberty to depart whenever it chose. It never ate what had been killed, though I tried it with all sorts of insects, mice, &c. Our people used to put a small frog into the cage, shutting both up together. In the case which came under my own eye, the little