The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-12-18
Prom Thr Home JsamsiI
TALES OF THE SOUTH.
~ SOUTHERN NAN,

the Virginia wHiering-placrs, a nisB5 oaTr,iGl
large box under hia Rrm, made lds appear
auce Ia the front yard Of the visitors hotel
Ito wHs iuil and sias~y Ia psTsan, with th,
ar and dfpurimenl oi . foreigner The stea
dy, frsy eiel aHd tlig F4Fil ass.4IlIsf hf ia
lures, indicated figpr of VIII aud energy Of
character Ia other respects there WIS moth.
ing noteworthy in his appearance or move
fheuts,
Having approached 10 within abort dis
tnnce Of the hotel, he Deposited his box upon
tho ground, uncovered H. and took out q
large ralllcsnake which be- held Ia bis hand
grasping II tightly around the body about sia
inches from The head aud hgiug steady gaze
upon iis gliIrring eyes, The reptile c0ilcd
- hodi around ile arm of the man, or with
rd ~ SLOW, wa'y molioHs through the air,
daflinR IL nrr0wy tongue With . siblant
sound through the half upcu jaws. ln q few
moments the erect head dropped, the mouth
clnALl. aud lAe subdu.d setnrnt lay notion
less ~ The hand VI the operator, wto, during
ihu whole performance, stood, erect land si-
lent In the position he had first taken.
a spectacle 30 novel aud exciting, attract
ed ~ once lho LtguIion of tho visitors ut the
Springs. The ladies crowded on the Gont
gallery Of the hotel, aud the men and bows
gathered IN O dense circle around the m,s-
lerious stranger 10 witness ds prriluus feat
To convince the spectators that the rxhibi-
ton was not deception, the performer drew
forth another large rattlesuako fum his boS,
placed short, blunt stick upright IN ils
mouth 90 aH to hold the aueca apart, and
then, inserting another stick beneath the
t1tgs, hr pressed them outN Ntrdy unIil their
iull lcngih was exposed a. view. Ia this
condition hc carried the reptile Elsai.d the cir
elo Of inHn Aud boys and through the crowd
VI lndics, that all might ace Il Was yeritable
sul lkc, armed with fang aud poison, with
which his experiments we're performed. This
done, hc returned 20 his frat position, placed
the snake upon the ground, aud commenced
kicking " Il with great violence, taking care,
however not TO strike IL with his foot.
Quickly irritaipd by the simulated assault.
tho snake threw Itself iuto coil, shook H.
raiiIts, and seemed eager to strike H. assail.
ant, Who, leaning forward, seized aud held il
ap, wtithing aud Missing ia h,s grasp. lie
looked steadily for u short time Into H. c,ts..
when, a. "a the hrN experiment. the head
dropped, the passion subsidized, aud the ser.
pcui remained sgbdued aud still ia the hand
Df the tamcr.
lie next empdcd upon the ground the con.
Tents of his box, consisting Of dozen or
more large, Vtnomuus-iookiug uttlcsnnkrs
The reptile mass cuicd, or glidrd, Kissing
iud fierce, AZ his feet lie picked them un
lnc Toy onc Pased intonllN fur short time
nto their eyes, aud then placed some ti them
% h.s bosom With their beads and ngcks pro.
lHa.gR ~ ileRnRi dffri, %hR'uhr rtgt"Rd
,yzcd and held rof in his hands. The rep
lies wrilhcd aud twisted aud cuilrd ~ Il
tightening their hold upon the person Of the
icriutmvr Their ewes g'ittrrrd, aud their
ongues shot forth aud back, like tiny arrows
rom their mouths. But the ominous rntlrs
Ill wcru still, betokcuiug that cucusiry aud
rot anger elected these reptile demonsSra-
ions. The snake tanner, bcgir with this ser
l,ltine girdlc remained not ouy uuharmcd,
)ut apparently qliTf UUvuUrvrUrJi, ttr-i -iruti
adlatcd the mysterious spell of the human
lc upon them. aud man asserted his lord
hip over the most cunning OF al the beasts
IT the field. .lL
The report Of these wonderful fcats having
ptcad thrpugh the urighhorhUod. with the
,llcr Of a liberal price, bl the performer, for
iyd vcuumous snakes, of every description,
AL came ia one morning n the Springs,
ringing large rHt,lesndkc which he had
just caught in the ncignboring mountains.
lhc suake tanner paid the promised reward
OF il, and proceeded at once to sgbdue IL, in
hr presence of nearly all the visitors.
Having cautiously removed the lid Of the
,oN Ia which the shake was oouintd, and
urucd it over upon one side, he withdrew
cw steps and awaited the result. In n few
moments, a rusty aud most Venomous looking
a,tlesnake, of very large size, crnwled trisure-
out npun- Ihc grass with which the yard
covered. 1t is the nature of this species I
# the serpent race TO bctray neither fear nor
excitement OF the prccence Of man. Deem |
ng themselves in the possession of 7.
uormous rdrgS and q supply OF virus sufi- I
iently copious and deadly 10 produce almost
Instant death ia man or beast, they neither
lasten TO escape from sight when discovered. .
lor bctruy the least Rlahm whcn assailcd 1t I
5 even the popular faith that they mngnnni- /
nously give warning before they strike. by .
haking their ratt!es, wkirh produce "a pccu-.
lar, whining sound, startling 10 the nerves
md alarming TO the mind
The presence Of the performer and of the |
argc crowd which surrounded him, seemed /
lot TO disturb or even TO arrest the attention |
4 the scaly monster, which, having crawed .
oTth out Of the box, lay motionltss and cx-
ended to Ia full length upon the grass !
'he snake tanner approached and simulated
n attack by repeated and rapid motions to-
Yards its hcnd with his foot. The reptile be-
anne furously rp;c in a moment. Assuming
he coil, which is its natural position both for
tuck and defence, ii darted forth its tongue .
nd shook its rattlcs with the rupidity aud
ioence which produce their most alarming
ound As the performer continued, at u
ate distance, the motions with his foot the
make soou became almost blind with rage.
Is head faitencd, its eyes glittered like dia-
lond points, and a fearful, prolonged hiss
,sued from its mouth. The man made one
tep towards it, when, unable longer to con.
rol its passion TO strike, it lcapcd forward
nd fell full length, upon the grass close at
is feet. Before it could throw itself again
lto a coil, he seized it with firm grasp,
bout six inches below the head, and holding
off at arms length from his person, lifted il
p from the ground.
The rage and contortions Of the now i'm
risoned reptile were terrible to behold.
through the air, aud round and round the
run of the performer il twisted and writhed,
ne caudal eXtronity of its body. making all
le time, a monotonous and fearful whiz with
& ratties, and essaliRg every moment 10 r,
irkc his arm or his person. The spectators
a LII