The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-05-21
A Brave Squirrel

L liz rIGCSuG NClS"u VI II
ferocious young ioness ty 4 humble
and ugly donkey in our geological gar
den has a curious parallel in the result
of deadly combat Wednesday evening
between a large diamond rattlesnake
and little squirrel during the snake
exhibition over the Rhine, at 622 Vine
street. The snake was one Uf the larger
of its species, six and g half feet in
length. and having been without food
for months, was inclined to act on the
offensive; the squirrel was inexperienced
in serpent warfare, but wonderfully
plucky. On the whole we are inclined
to consider the poor little squirrel as
having distinguished himself even more
than the brave do1hey whose prowess
has been ably memorialzed in marble
by Cincinnati sculptor. The donkey
barely saved his life by a desperate
struggle, without infiicting much hurt
upon his terrible antagonist the squir
rel was lett alone to contend with the
most dreaded Ind deadly ensmy of
human or animal life, and actually
slew his antagonist. We erred In pro-
nOuncing the feathery tailed little war
rior dead yesterday. He still lives, and
by careful treatment might recover.
but his hiderus eherey IS dead.
1t was not known that the snake had
expired until a late hour Wednesday
night. When the squirrel had been
placed in the cage, the Shiny shining
monster Immediately sprung his rattle
and coiled to strike; while the
squirrel, having taken a good look all
round the cseS, and found escape to he
impossible, prepared himself for the
worst, watching his glittering- eyed
enemy with fierce resolution. The
spectacle became highly interesting to
the spectators, for the deadly ophidian
was contending with a far higher form
of life, finer organism, more intelli-
gent being than the helpless creatures
which ordinarily supplied him with food.
Snake and squirrel alike poised them
selves for the spring. the tail of the
former vibrating so rapidly as to become
almost invisible, and emitting a sound
like the buzz of brazen clock-work ; the
tail of the latter trembled slightly with
the tension of the squirrels muscles.
Suddenly a sickly CLEAN of livid white
shot across the cage, aud struck the
squirrel below the neck, once, twice,
with the rapidity of an electric flash.
The spectators ceased to laugh and
whisper the sight was too horrible.
But the brave little squirrel did not
shrink Or drop. He sprang forward to
meet his terrible foe, and caught the
writhing tail between his keen teeth.
There was q cracking sound like the
crushing of chicken bones, hideOusly
shrill hiss, an agonized wriggle through
the long speckled body, and the next
instant the squirrel was wrapped in the
coils of the serpent, while'the fragments
of the bony rattIes fell on the floor of
the cage, crushed into tiny slivers. But
the squirrel still showed no fear, al
though the many colored folds frightened
about him, and the awful triangular
head approached with wide-opened jaws
and needle-sharp fangs, and eyes in
wi ich the yellow iris circle seemed
transformed to flame. There was an
other sickly fash of white, as the livid
serpent-belly turned upward with the
effort of the last venOmous stroke. The
fangs never reached the squirrel. He
canght the speckled neck between his
keen teeth, an inch below the deadly
head with its horrible eyes, and the
horrible eyes started out under the
pressure. There was another cracking
sound, another series of CHASTITY cOnvul-
sions, and the horrible fan ged mouth
opened for the last time. The squirrel
shook the reptile between his strong
jaws until the clammy coils dropped
from about him, and then flung the
whole squirmiDg mass from him. 1t
writhed once or twice, half coiled, and
lay still. Il YVES dead.
The squirrel immediately after became
very sick, and dropped into a state of
coma thus giving the impress
sion that it was dead. But it revived a
little yesterday, and may possibly re-
cover. Certainly every care should be
taken of it; for drawer fight has never
been made by so helpless an animal
against so deadly an enemy. The snake
Will be stuffed. Cincinnati Enquirer.