THE BOY SNAKE CHARMER; OR, A STORY THAT COMES FROM DUBUQUE.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 181, 7 January 1875, Page 3

THE BOY SNAKE CHARMER; OR, A STORY THAT COMES FROM DUBUQUE.

[From the Dubuque Telegraph .]

On Nineteenth-street, near the C., D., and M. Railroad track, stands a small frame house, off by itself in a rather desolatelooking locality. A family named Vallandingham occupies this house, and among them is a boy named Maurice, aged 10 years. Yesterday morning our reporter was informed that the 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 prodigy 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 discoved 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 seeking any notice whatever. Upon being asked if he was Maurice the snake charmer, he rather languidly and indifferently said ‘Yes.’ The Telegraph man expressed a desire to Jio 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 slimy, 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 1 feet to 3 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, &c. 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 feats of snake-charming performed by travelling 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 kiner of all snakes resented this insult with a fierce sound from his rattle and rapid movement of his tongue; but the boy looked the snake steadily in the eye for a moment, when the rattling and the motion of the tongue ceased. He then stooped down, caught the snake just below the head with his hands, and, raising the head to a level with his face, looked steadily into its eyes for about one minute, when all indication of anger on the part of the serpent ceased, and the boy handled it as he pleased from that time until the day before yesterday, when it got hurt and he killed it. This snake had eight rattles and was over 3ft 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 he overcome their naturally venomous instincts and remove all warlike or resentful feelings from them, that any person can handle them with perfect safety ever afterwards. 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 henchmen, 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 recognising one who has such unusual powers as leader. He does 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 followers can produce fail to alter that decision. He sometimes exhibits his snakes and his power over them for five cents, and no doubt a small amount of money will readily overcome his objection to “bring out the snakes,” as the boys say, any time.