Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-11

Z. vASsAAAs - 10y ~ Ne~W.s
win LIT up . man when he's down."
A Fearful Fight and Horrible Death.
On Friday last . young man named
01ynor asked me TO spend the night
with HIM and 20 coon hunting the next
morning, to which request readily As
sented. We started out about O'Clock
a. M, and near day the dogs opened on q
trail In the swamp of Bear Greek. Just
after sunrise the deep baying of the dogs
informed ~ that the game had taken q
tree. We proceeded to make our way
through the boys and tangled brush and
vines In the direction of the dogs, until
we came to small space Of firm ground,
which was covered with q low growth Of
oak bushes. Here we halted for moment
to listen for the dogs
We had barely paused when we were
startled by loud, strange, rafting sound,
issuing from beneath low, thick bush,
within few feet of ua Though I had
never heard that peculiar noise before, /
knew instinctively that 1t was rattle
snake, and sprang back in terror, remark
ing, "GrSynor, let's leave here"
What, s." said he, "are you
afraid ?"
Eyes" said I, 81 am afraid"
"Well, S." he coolly remarked, 81
am going to kill the snake: it would be a
pity to leave such fine fellow here. So
here goes"
While Graynor was speaking, caught
glimpse of the snake, which, as nearly
as I could Judge, appeared to be about
eight feet in length, and three inches in
diameter in his larger part. he was lying
coiled up in perfect circles, with his head
drawn back in terribly graceful curve,
his small, black eyes sparkling, his slen.
der, forked tongue darting swiftly back
and forth, and his brown neck swollen
with fatal wrath, while ever and anon he
twirled the warning rattles in the air
with harsh, blood curdling sound.
"For Gods sake, let's co." said !, shud-
dering at the terrible sight.
"Don't get scared" said g., "just
climb tree, and he won't bite you. It
amt every day that fellow meets with
such . fine, large snake as this, and it
wouldn't do to lose him." ou
he had picked up small stick about q
yard long, and, while speaking, was
drawing back the bushes from above the
snake, 30 % to get aight of him. He
threw his foot around over the bushes,
8Qu tG0AUU100 G0CU OOWA III UUCu q HAL.
ner that the monster was fairly exposed
he had time TO strike, the snake made q
sudden spring at him, and turned away
my face in horror. The next instant
Graynor exclaimed, "Ive got him, by
Georger
/ turned to look, and with his right
hand he was grasping the snake by the
neck in such manner that he could not
bite, while the monster WAS gnashing his
teeth most fdriously, and twisting and
wnthing in huge folds around G.'s arms.
All Of sudden, in some unaccountable
manner, the snake freed his head, and
quick a. lightning plunged his deadly
fangs into G.'s right cheek, when, drop
ping on the ground, he glided few PAGES
and again cofled himself up, keeping his
head erect and ringing his fearful rattles.
G.. turned deadly pale, paused moment,
and then with little stick advanced to-
ward the snake. As he did 70 the snake
made spring at him, but G. struck him
with the stick and knocked him back.
A second time the snake sprRng st him,
and he again knocked him of with the
stick, but before he could strike . third
blow, the snake had made another spring,
and inflicted another wound in Grsynors
arm. This time Graynor again managed
to seize the monster by the neck, and,
dropping the stick, he drew forth his
knife with one hand, opened It with his
teeth, and then deliberately cut of the
snakes head. Blood spurted from the
trunk, and Grsynor. still grasplng the
snake, whose huge folds tapped and
staggered, and fell. rushed up TO him
and asked him, "What, in the name of
God, can I do for your"
"Nothing," said he, calmly, II am dy-
ing. Tell them GOD" and his fea-
lures became frightfully contorted, his
eyes rolled over as II starting from their
sockets, and his black, swollen tongue
protruded from his mouth. Then he
fixed his red, wild, staring eyes upon me,
and heaved deep, piercing groen; .
shiver passed over his frame, and then all
was sti1l. was alone with the dead.
Marking the place as well as / could, I
hastencd to house we had passed on the
road, some half mile distant from the IA
tai tragedy. Runners were sent through
the neIghb0rhood, and In the course Of
two hours some twenty of the neighbors
had gathered. We proceeded to the place,
which found no difficulty In pointing
out.
+ Good heavens! what . night met our
view. The nee and body had turned 10 .
deep purple, and were swollen to three
times the natural size, presenting the most
horrible appearance / had ever Witnessed.
The snake lay where he had been thrown,
and was still writhing.- QoptoH, -AlG.,
On. Ayda Nsscs. 3. Z
"A Pari1ian shest, in describing the
Tspidity with which cities spring into
being on the American prairies, relates
that . traveller arriving late one night at
Chicago failed to find hotel accommoda-
ton, and laid himself down in an open
field. In the morning he found himself
in . cellar, with hvestory dwelling
house erected over him.
AT recent meeting Of the labor a.
sociations in San Francisco the speakers
protested against further Monaghan nm
migration, against the payment of sub
sides to steamships In the China trade,
81 - ~ 49,