The garter snaik derives hiz name from the habit he haz ov slipping up a gentlemen’s leg, and tieing himself into an artistik bo knot about hiz stocking, just belo the knee.
This iz more ornamental than pleasant, and haz been known tew result in the deth ov the snaix.
I kan imagine several things more pleasant than a live snaix festooned around one ov my legs; but then I am a nervous 196 individual, and when enny thing begins tew krawl around on me promiskus, I am too apt tew inquire into suddenly.
I suppoze thare iz plenty ov stoicks would luv tew hav a snaix do this, and would pat him on the hed, and chuck him under the chin, and sich like.
I giv all snaix fair notiss that they kant garter me, and if I couldn’t git rid of them enny other way, I would dissever miself from the leg, and stump it the rest ov mi daze.
But the more i reflekt upon theze things, the more i think the garter snaix iz a mith—a kind of inexplicable thing, indiskribabel, full ov mistery, and iz a mere type or shaddo ov the old, time-honored garter itself.
Thare iz a grate deal ov dream-like mist and wonderment in the garter.
They liv in poetry and song, and are seldum seen.
THE EEL SNAIK.
The eel snaix iz the only kind that iz valuable for food.