, 1864-04-30
Snake StoriAs

Of all things in which one would look
for sagacity, snake is of the last; yet my
story is Of snake, and wise one, too.
Men have studied them unkindly since the
creation, when the Giver of life pronounced
them the most subtle Of all the beasts of
the field; and the consequence is that their
wisdom and Importance have been greatly
overlooked and derided. Dull and stupid
as they apparently are, yet they far excel,
in intelligence and something like reason
in emergencies, many animals supposed to
be akin to man in the nobler attributes of
physical life, as shall prove.
| got interested in the study Of scrpcnts
down in Arkansas, where spent most of
last year. don't know why, but | was
constantly watching them, and constantly
testing their sagacity, by placing them in
new situations, and surrounding them with
novel expedients. OF all kinds. I expert
mented most with rattlesnakes and copper
heads.
One afternoon l seated myself on little
knoll in the woods to smoke and read, (for
| always had book or newspaper with me, J
and had been enjoying myself for some
time, when espicd cOpperhead making
for hole within ten feet Of where | sat.
OF course l threw down my book and cigar,
and proceeded to try new experiment.
As soon as stirred, the rascal made a
grand rush for the hole; but ] caught his
tail, as he got nearly in, and jcrkcd him
some twenty feet backward. lie threw
himself into coil in no time, and waited
for me to pitch in. But l concluded to
let him try the hole again. After awhile
he started for it, stopping when stirred
to coil himself up; but, as | kept pretty
quiet, he recovered confidence, aud went
in. Again jerked him out. No sooner
did he touch the ground than he made
another grand rush for the hole, in a straight
line for my legs! But that didn't work,
for ! got out Of the way, and gave him
another Art.
This time he lay still awhile, appearing
to reflect OIL the course to be taken. After
time he tried it again, though rather
slowly. After getting his head little way
in, he stepped, and wiggled his tail as II
on purpose for me to grab it, l did SO /;
anu YuicNer 'nNn = hIsh ne urew ms .eau
OUT ana came w.tnin ABOUT quarter OF an
men VI s,r'Nu9 he ID .ne iace however
t. look out next time. Well, he tried the
same game again, but it wouldn't work
was too quick for him.
rms une nc My ln con perhaps WIN.
ou' SURFING =, AZ ms'' howeVeF' ns .ee
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