The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-09-20
Desperate Battle with a Snake.

Last SATURDAY morning was tne VIII
ness Of such a scene as pray God 1 may
never see again. 1 beheld a combat be-
tween rattlesnake and young man, in
which the latter was bitten, aad died in
ten minutes thereafter. The particulars
of the terrible affair are as follows:
"On Friday last a young man named
Graynon asked me to spend the night with
him and go coon hunting with him the
next morning, to which request readily
assented. We started out about O'clock
A. NJ, and near day the dogs opened on
a trail in the swamp of Bear creek. Just
after sunrise the deep bayiDg Of the dogs
Informed us that the game had taken a
tree. We proceeded to make our way
through the bogs and tangled brush and
vines in the direction of the dogs,until we
came to a small space Of firm ground,
which was covered with low growth Of
oak bushes. Here we halted for mo-
moment to listen for the dogs.
1--WE had barely paused when wo were
startled by loud, strange sound issuing
from beneath low, thick bush, within a
few feet of US. Though had never heard
the peculiar noise before, I'knew instuc-
lively that 1t was a rattlesuake, and |
sprang back in therror r,remarking Gray.
nor let's leave here
What, s. said he, 'ara you
afraid?
ayes, said 1, / am afraid.
"Well, s. he coolly remarked
i am going to kill the snake; it would
be pity to leave such fine fellow here.
So here goes.
"While Graynor was speaking caught
a glimpse of the snake, which,as nearly as
| could Judge, appeared to be about eight
feet in length, and three inches in dame
ter in his larger part. He was lying coil
ed up in perfect circle, with his head
drawn back in terribly graceful curve,
his small eyes sparkling, his slender, fork
ed tongue darting swiftly back and forth
wrath, while ever and anon he twirled
the warning rattles in the air, with rash
blood-curdlng sound.
"For Gods sake, let's 60, said l,shud-
dering at the terrible sight.
"Don't get scared, said Graynor just
climb a tree and he won't bite you. 1t
aint every day that fellow meets with
such fine large snake as this, and it
wouldn't do to lose him.
He had picked up small stick about
yard long,and while speaking was draw
ing back the bushes from above the snake
as to get sight at him. He threw his
foot around over the bushes, and tramped
them down in such manner that the
monster was fairly exposed to view but
just as he did so, and before he had time
to strike the snake made sudden spring
at him. and | turned away my face in
horror. The next instant Graynor ex-
claimed I've got him, by Georger =
81 turned to look, and with his right
hand he was grasping the snake in such
manner that he could not bite, while the
monster was gnashing his teeth most
furiously, and twisting and writhing 10
huge folds around Graynors arms. All
of u sudden, in some unaccountable man.
ner, the snake freed his head, and quick
as Lightning plunged his deadly faugs in.
to Graynor's right cheek, when, dropping
on the ground, he glided few spaces
and again coiled himself up, keeping his
head erect and ringing his fearful rattl,s.
Graynor turned deadly pale, paused a
moment, and then with little stick ad.
vanced toward the snake. AS he did SO
the snake made spring at him. but Gray.
nor struck him with the stick and knock
ed him back. A second time the snake
sprang at him, and he again knocked him
off with Il stick; but before he could strike
third blow the snake had made another
spring and inflicted another wound in
Graynor's 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 Graynor, still grasping the
snake,whose huge folds tapped and with.
cred around him, turned toward me,stag.
gered, and fell. rushed up to him and
asked him:
What, in the name of God can do
for you p
Nothing, said he, calmly. I am dy.
ing. Tell them, good" and his
features became rightly contorted, his
eyes rolled over as if starting from their
sockets, and his black swollen tongue pro.
truded from his mouth. Then he fixed
his red, wild, staring eyes upon me, and
heaved a deep, piercing groan; shiver
passed over his frame, and then all was
still. | was alone with the dead.
Marking the place as we'll as | could,
l fastened to house We had passed on
the road, some half mile distant from
the fatal tragedy. Runners were sent
through the neighborhood, and in the
course of few hours some twenty of the
neighbors had gathered. We proceeded
to the place, which had no difficulty in
pointing out.
Good heavens what sight met our
view The face and body had turned to
deep purple, and were swollen to three
times the natural size, e,presenting the most
horrible appearance | had ever witnessed.
The snake lay where he had been thrown,
and was still writhing.
"a litter of boughs was hastily con-
structed, and with heavy hearts we took
our way to the residence of his parents.
l will not attempt to describe the heart
rcnding scene when they saw the body.
Grief like theirs can not be portrayed.
NoruINa LIKE GRAMMAR.-Nothing like
Grammar Better 60 without a COW
than 60 without that. There are num-
berless professors" who 60 "tramp, tramp,
tramp, my boys" around the country,
peddling weak article, by which sin
twenty days" they guarantee to set man
thoroughly up in the English language.