The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-05-13
A Brave Squirrel.

4HC ACCCAt Il uOululOuS ut1tdL VI u
ferocious young lioness by an humble
and ugly donkey in our Geological Garden
has a curious parallel in the result Of a
deadly combat Wednesday evening be-
tween large diamond rattlesnake and a
little squirrel during the snake exhibit
ton over the Rhine, at 522 Vine street.
species, six feet and half 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 poor little squirrel as having dis
tinguished himself even more than the
brave donkey, whose proves has been
cinnati sculptor. The donkey barely
saved his life by desperate struggle
without intiicting much hurt upon his
terrible antagonist; the squirrel was left
alone to contend with the most dreaded
and deadly enemy of human or animal
life, and actually slew his antagonist.
We erred in pronouncing the feathery-
tailed little warrior dead yesterday. He
might recover. But his hideous enemy
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 slimy-shining
monster Immediately sprang his rattle
and coiled to strike; while the squirrel,
having taken a good look all round the
cage, and found escape to be impossible,
prepared himself for the worst, watching
hio r1iftorinr.ouo1
resolution. The spectacle became high
ly interesting to the spectators, for the
deadly ophidian was contending with a
far higher form of life, finer organism,
more intelligent being than the help
less creatures which ordinarily supplied
him with food. Snake and squirrel alike
poised themselves for the spring, the
tail of the former vibrating so rapidly as
to become almost invisible, and emit
ting sound like the buzz of brazen
clock.work; the tail of the latter
trembled slightly, very slightly, with the
tension of the squirrels muscles. Sud
denly sickly CLEAN of livid white
shot across the cage, and struck
the squirrel below the neck
once, twice, with the rapidity of an
electric flash. The spectators ceased tc
laugh and whisper; the sight was toe
horrible. But the brave little squirrel
did not shrink or drop. He sprang for
ward to meet his terrible foe and caught
the writhing tail between his keen teeth
There was cracking sound like the
crushing of chicken bones, a hideously
shrill hiss, On agonized wriggle through
the long, speckled body, and the next in
slant the squirrel was wrapped in the
coils of the serpent, while the fragments
of the bony rattles 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-open jaws and
needle.sharp fangs, and eyes in which
the yellow iris-circle seemed trans
formed to flame. There was another
sickly flash of white as the livid
serpent.belly turned upward with
the effort of the last venomous
stroke. The fapgs never reached the
squirrel. He caught 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 fanged 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 squirming mass from him. 1t
wreathed once or twice, halt-coiled and
lay still. 1t was dead.
The squirrel Immediately after became
very sick, and dropped into state of ap.
parent coma; thus giving the impression
and may possibly 1sco
avery h snGua
ly an enemy. The snake will be stuffed
Cincinnati Enquirer, Nay l.