Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-09-03

CsS VI SUGu u oOGlC 10 L plul wv
nay never see again. l beheld a
mbat between a young man and a.
attlesnakc, in which the former was
bitten and Gied in ten minutes tbcUr-
after. The particulars of the ter iOlN
affair are are follows:
On Friday last young man named
GraynOr asled me TO spend the night
with him aid go cOon-hunting the
next morning, TO which request |
readily consented. We started out
about o'clOc A. NJ, and near day
the dogs opel d on trail in the swamp
of Bear creek, just after sunrise, the
deep baying Of the dogs informed us
that the game had AIKEN a tree. We
proceeded to m Ike ur way through
the bOgs and tangled brush and vines
in the direct n Of the dogs, until we
came to a sn Ill space of firm ground,
which was covered with a low growth
of oak b. shes. Here VIC halted a mo-
mcnt to stem for the dogs,
We he'll hardly paused, when we
were star led by a loud, strange, rat
Ting sound issuing from beneath a
low, thick push, Y thin q few feet OF
us. Though | h d never heard the
peculiar noise before, | knew instinct
lively that it was a rattlesnake; and |
sprang back in terror, remarking,
"GraynC let's leave here
What, S." said he, "arc you
afraid Z"
"Ycs," said /, | am afraid"
"Wel!, S., he cody remarked,
81 am going to kill the snake it
would be a pity to leave such a fine
fellow here, so here goes
While Graynor was speaking,
caught a glimpse ofthe snake, which,
as nearly asl couldjudge, appeared 10
be about eightfee ii length, and three
inches in diameter III his larger part.
lie was lying coiled up in perfect cir.
Giles, with his head drawn back in a
terribly graceful curve, his small eyes
sparkling, his slender forked tongue
darling swiftly back and forth, and
his brown neck swollen with fatal
wrath, while ever aud damon he twirled
che warning rattles in the air, with q
Ilarsl blood.curdling sound.
"For GtA's sake, let's CO. said /,
shuddering t theterrible sight.
Don't get scareG" said g.; lust
climb o tree ana he won't bite you, II
amt every day that a fellow meets
with such q fine, large snake as this
and il won't do 10 lose him.
lie had picked up a small stick
about a yardlong, and while speaking
was drawing back the bushes from
above the snake so as to get a sight Of
of him. lie threw his foot around
over the bushes, and tramped them
down in such a manner that the mon.
ster was fairly exposed to view but
Just as he did SO, and before he had
time to strike, the snake made a sud,
den spring at him, and | turned my
face away in horror. The next instant
Graynor exclaimed, "Tvc got him
/ turned to look, and with his right
hand he was grasping the snake by
the neck in such o manner that he
could not bite, while the monster was
crashing his teeth most furiously, and
twisting and writhing in huge folds
around Graynor's arms, All of a sud
den, in some unaccOuntable manner,
The snake freed his head, and quick as
lightning plunged his deadly fangs
into G.'s right cheek when, dropping
on the ground, he glided a few PAGES
and again coiled himself up, keeping
his head erect and ringing his fearful
rattles. &. turned deathly pale, paus.
ed moment, and then with a little
stick advanced toward the snake. AS
he did So the snake made q spring at
him, but {. struck him with a stick
and knocked him back. A second
time the snake sprung at him and be
again knocked him of with a stick
but before he could strike a third
blow, the snake had made another
spring and inflicted another wound
in GraynOr's arm. This time Gray
nor aga y managed to seize the mon
steI by Jhe neck, and dropping the
stick he drew forth the knife with
One hand, opened ii with his teeth,
and then deliberately cut off the
snake head. Blood spurtcd from
the trunk, and &. still grasping the
snake, whose huge folds tapped and
writhCd around him, turned toward
me, staggered and fell. Irushed up
to him and asked him:
What in the name of God can ]
10 for your"
Nothing" said he calmly, III am
dying. Tell them good and hi;
features became frightfully cOntorted
his eyes rolled over if starting from
heir sockets, and his black swollen
tongue protruded from his mouth
Then hetl xed his red, wild, staring
eyes upon ne, and heaved adeep pier,
cling groan; q SILVER passed over his
frame, and then all was still. | wa
alone with the dead.
Marking the place as we'll as | could
| fastened 10 a house we had passed
OH the road, some half a mile distant
from the tragedy, Runners were SEN
through the neighborhoOd, and In tho
course of two hours some twenty o.
the neighbors had gathered. We pro
cecdcd TO the place, which | found nc
difficulty in pointing cut.
Good heavens! what a sight mel
our view. The face and body had
turned to q deep purple, and were
swollen to three times the natural
size. presenting the most horrible ap.
pearance | had ever witnessed. The
snake lay where he had been thrown
and was still writing.
A litter Of boughs was hastily con.
structcd, and with heavy hearts VIC
took our way to the residence of his
parents. | will not attempt to dcs-
cribe the heartrcnding scene, when
they saw the body. Grict like thcns
conno! be portrayed.