The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-08-17
Stories About Rattlesnakes--A Horrible
Playthng.

be substantiated by undisputable testimony
They are only some of the trihing experiences
of the mountaineers with the rattesnakees
ssThere are in the Blue Ridgc~two distinct
species=-the yellow and the black, The yell
low was formerly supposed to be the male
md the black the female; but the fallacy Of
that opinion is demonstrated by the fact tina,
in many localities only one Of these kinds is
ever seen, and also by the great difference in
size and form, the yellow being very thick
and short, and the black long and slender
But both of these species are beautifully Or
namented with flowers, which i'll the sunlight
partake Of all the colors Of the rainbow. The
yellow snake is much less liable to rattle than
the black, aud therefore most to be dreaded,
though no dependence need be placed in Ell
Their, as it depends altogeather upon the ca
price of the moment whether they retreat,
advance. rattle, or play possum.' The partial
ity of this snake for the company Of children
has been frequently noticed among the noun
taipeer, one instance of which is familiar to
some of our Bedford readers. A few years
ago farmer, whose cabin stood in one Of the
widest localities about the mountains, on
coming into the house one day discovered his
little daughter, two years old, sitting up in
bed, where she had been placed when asleep
by her mother. The child was laughing
imA leratcly and showing by its every action
and expression Of countcnance that it was
greatly pleased The father approached,
when to his horror he discovered that an
enormous yellow rattlesnake, the largest he
had ever seen, was in bed with the child, and
actually coled around her body
ellis presence instantly wrought change
in the conduct of.he snake, which dexterous-
ly coiled itself from around the child and as
sumed an attitude of battle. The mountain
GERS rifle hung upon rack over the door /;
he grasped it with his hand with feelings
which CANNOT be described. aud awaited an
opportunity to shoot He had no sooner done
so than the snake commenced caressing the
child by rubbing his head fondly against her
cheek, and dartlng his forked tongue almost
in her eyes Then he would raise his tail and
rattle SO rapidly as to make one continued
sound at which the child was greatly delight
Ell. But upon the least movement on the
part of the almost distracted parent, the snake
would entirely change the tone of his rafting
and swell to almost twice its natural size.
During all this time the child tightly grasped
the snake with it's chubby little hands, and
jerked aud twisted him about in a very rude
and unccremonious manner, laughing and
talking to her horrid plaything in perfect
ecstacy of delight. This state OF things was
fnslly ended by movement Of the parent,
which so enraged the snake that he drew
o1f ipto ;,-b ooil lo,,oI ofho1
and would have buried his fangs in the farm
er's face had he not lodged to one side. AS
it was: the serpent went over his shoulder
and out at the door, where he renewed the
signal for battle, but was quickly stretched
out stiff in death by shot from the rife.-
The child cried immoderateIy for her pretty
plaything. and if set down ia any part Of the
yard would Immediately toddlc toward the
dead reptile.
"A party of Soung men in the same neigh
borhoad, only few years ago, had very in
teresting adventure with rattlesnakes, which
may be briefly stated. Early in the fall Of
the year. and before the snakes had housed
up for the winter, this party went out one
the dogs freed family of coons in one of
the largest trees in the neishborhood. 1t was
decided to wait until daylight to capture them,
with the hope that the cutting down of the
tree could be dispensed with. The young
men laid down upon the ground, and were
amusing themselves with telling stories, when
one Of the party, who was thoroughly ac-
quanted with the habits ard pecularities of
the rattlesnake, suddenly called out, Lie
still, boys; don't move for anything. There's
rattlesnakes here; heard ones rattles hit a
rock" He had scarcely spoken when an
eaormous rattlesnake came crawling over his
foot, AMI following his leg to his body. cross
ed over his breast, striking his next neigh
boris face, and crawling over his mouth. The
third party was not touched by the snake, ex-
cept that his rattles tapped lightly against his
eaprbrim as he passed. The fourth hunts
man heard the rattle, sprang to his feet and
assembled a tree with remarkable agility
This snake was immediately followed by am
other, not quite SO large, and then by four
very small ones, all of which Travelled pre-
cisely the same path. When daylight came
the racoons were shot, and then the search for
the snakes commenced They were found in
hollow stump, but a few steps of, and were
all killed"
Things that must be Done.