Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-12-24
Rat.HnntIng Snakes.


Some months ego gentleman from
Dumfrics paid a visit TO a friend of his In
the township of Beverly, Mr.. Henry, and
remained with him several days. During
his visit the Dumfries gentleman com.
planned that his house was literally filed
with rats and mice. lie had tried every
device 70 get rid of them and all had failed.
Mr.. Henry, who Is as ingenious 0s he -
fond of sport, declared that he would bat
tie the rats out of his friends cellar In less
than no time. to use his own expression.
The next day the two gentlemen drove to
the genlleman's s house in Dumirics. Mr..
Henry took with him common quarter
gross matchbox pierced with n few holes,
which he placed carefully under the seat
of the buggy. The Dumfries gentleman,
feeling that his friend was going 10 give
him a surprise, probably with some i'm
provement on ferret, asked no questions,
the better to enjoy the surprise when II
did come. Arrived at the house, they had
dinner, and, after the ladies had re-
tired, Mr.. Henry placed the box on the
table and removed the lid. In an instant
from the box lcapcd q full-grown garter
snake, measuring three feet and half in
length The reptile, which was highly
excited with the heat, reared itself almost
on the extremity Of its tail and glided
about the table with remarkable rapidly,
licking its ghastly jaws with its tOrked
and nimble tongue. The Dumfries gen.
tleman shrank back into the corner almost
petrifed with borror Mr.. Henry showed
how silly this was by taking the snake
upon his arm and handling 1t much as a
hack.driver would his whip-lash. His
fears were finally overcome and when he
had composed himself he led his friend
into the cellar where the snake was set
at liberty. The reptile immcL lately dart.
ed for the wall, and the next moment dis.
covered hole, into which IL glidcd with
the greatest ease An Interested terrier
stood at their heels, and both gentlemen
held clubs, which we're trumps Just about
then. The snake had not disappeared
over a minute before half dozen
rats bounced out Of the hole and
met terrible fate at the hands of their
enemies outside But the snake was
not satisfied it discovered every rat-hole
in the cellar, and glidcd in and out among
the rocks where even rat could not have
gone. 1t was finally taken up and placed
in the box, after twenty rats and almost as
many mice had been killed. The snake
belongs to a black garter family, which
are in reality the best friends the farmer
has got. They live exclusively on field
mice, worms, flies and other vermin, and
if they occasionally swallow frog or dine
on a couple of young ground birds or &c
cidentally glide across the path Of hu-
man being, their lives should be preserved,
as their good qualities counterbaance
these defects The one possessed by Mr..
Henry was captured by him last summer
in pea-tield, and since he has had it no
rats are to be seen or heard of in the
neighbOrhOod of his house. The reptile
is kept in box, as before stated, and is
fed upon liver Next summer Mr.. Henry
intends TO capture all the snakes he posi-
bly, can, alive, and train them up for the
benefit of his neighbors. ors.-Hamtit0n (0nt.) }
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