Snake Charmers Have Variety of Reptiles

1916

Kansas Boys Have Produced New Sensation In Vicinity of Home.

Salina, Kan.—Two small boys, Willie and Robert Shorl, the elder of whom is but fourteen, have produced a new sensation in the vicinity of their home at Five Mile, where they have a big cage full of writhing, twisting snakes of many varieties. They play with these reptiles without the least sign of fear, going through with all the stunts of professional snake charmers.

The snakes coil themselves about the boys' necks and bodies. The lads look in the eyes of their pets steadily as they play with them, and they handle them with the skill of a professional.

The collection consists of blacksnakes, blue racers, chicken snakes and three ugly looking "rattlers." On Saturday they usually go down on Snake Branch and hunt for more reptiles. However, these new reptiles are not placed with their "pets," but are kept in a separate cage and are usually shipped to owners of small shows and museums, from whom they get from $3 to $5 for each snake. Neither of the boys has ever been bitten.

The older boy gave a lecture on snakes before the pupils of the Shoal Creek school. He astonished teacher and pupils alike by his classification of reptiles, giving their Latin names and discussing the harmless or dangerous varieties, taking each from a box as he explained its varied habits.