Snake in the Ceiling

The Snake in the Ceiling was an amusing incident in June 1919.

"BALLARAT SNAKE STORY. A sensational snake story was reported from Ballarat South on Thursday. A man was taking down some hessian lining in the course of renovating operations when he saw what he took to be a snake among the rafters. He rushed to a neighbor's for a revolver to kill the reptile. The neighbor hadn't one, and he then went to the Redan Police Station. The policeman was out, but his wife supplied a revolver and four cartridges. The mill employees were leaving for lunch at the time, and the news spreading a crowd came to be in at the death. One volunteered to act as executioner. He took careful aim and fired. The reptile never stirred. It proved on inspection to be of the carpet variety; in fact, it was a roll of carpet."

It is interesting to consider what would happen these days if you asked to borrow a revolver from the local police station.