The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-07-17
ANOTHER RATTLEsNAKE STORY.

The Kansas correspondent of the St. Louis
Democrat, writing under date of June 20,h,
tells a marvellous rattle.nake story. He de-
clares Oh his honor, that every word of IL is
true. On the alternoon of the 10th. no went
ont to view the scenery on tho banks of the
majestic Missouri, and ascended rocky bluff
in order to enjoy the cooling breeze. He sat
down upon a mossy rock; but let him tell bis
own story:--
sat down with my boad upon my hand ,un.
i'll presently it rolled away upon tho cushion Of
springy moss which grew there like an emerald
diadem. and l was locked in that strI nge slum-
ber which leaves you semi-conscious, aud yet
restrains yiolat on. hal lain thus several min
utos, with my left arm stretched TO its extent,
when at the extremilies Of the fingers of that
hand, thero was a sensation now and peculiar
that snnt a thrill of F,lt,usute 10 TIE mlnd ana
heart: it was soothing, drawing and titilating
as if the fingers were dissolving away in de-
lghtful self absorption. Just then, from this
sort of blissful abandon | was startled by the
report of gun shot within few PAGES OF me.
sprang to- my feet, aud with astonshmont saw
my friend Mitchell standing near and gazing
at me with a fixed look of ghastly horror. Be-
fore could enquire what he meant. my alton
tion was canght by tho sound of the most shrill
keen ringing rattle that ever penetrated hu-
man ear; and on docking down | discovered a
huge rattlesnake with CORY head, quivering and
writhing in the sgonies OF death, aud sending
forth from his erect tail tho terrible tocksn
that had heard.
From his fearful propinquinty began to re-
aze my position. but not until heard an ex-
panation from NJ. could fully understand and
appreciate its horrors.
He told me that my resting place was the
top of a rattlesnake don, and pointed out the
orifices through which they passed; that he was
in the habit of coming there Sunday evenings
to shoot raitlesnakes, that when he approached
that evening and saw me lying upon tho den,
he supposed had been bitten and was dead;
that he crept nearer and saw my respiration
and knew was aliye, but discovered mon
strous snake licking my hand and covering it
with Shiny coating, preparatory TO deglutition;
that he made slight involuntary, shudderng
exclamation of my Godl which drew the snakes
attention and caused him to turn his head. when
he discharged load of buck shot in his face
and neck, manging and tearing him to pieces,
and thus saved my life. He had scarcely told
me this, which took but moment, when rat
ties all around brought US TO a recollection
that we were not vet free from danger. We
saw ten or fifteen large rattlesnaks s approach
ing us from every quarter. with eyes glaring
revengefuly. barbed tongues thrusting threat
eningly and rartles sounding alarmngly. They
are brave and cannot be inundated. and will
die over the dead body of their companion soon
er than desert it. We knew tho indomitsble
character Of our enemy, and NJ. and l with n
double barreled gun, and my sticks and rtones,
fought our way out as we best could. You
may imagine that my nerves we're slightly agi-
tated that evening, and that l dreamed of
snakes that night