The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-02

for him to slip his head or body
through. 1t pinched just enough to
madden him. In three minutes he
seemed tagged out, when Jake was
enabled to dose him and lay him out.
The body was beautiful in gold, dark
brown, and black. The belly had
grayish white, with black stripes. On
the back there were black spots. Jake
took out the poison sack, which looked
very much like :. Water-blister on
human flesh.
'sThat stuff in the veins of twenty
men would kill every one of 'em,' said
Jake. ''Some people would say this
fellow was II years old, according to
his rattles. 1 don't believe it. l be-
lieye these snakes get 'em more than
once a year when they are young.
When they're old it may be different.
This skin ain t worth much, but We'll
take it along anyway Suddenly we
heard the shrill whistle of one of the
men. about 200 yards over the rocks.
The dog pitched head foremost in his
| effo to get away in Il hurry. Jake
caught a breath and said, "Come on,
but be CAREFUL
A thrilling sight was Endy, in bath
of Precipitation, holding down a snake
that seemed us large again as the one
we had just captured. The dog was
called away. <:I want this fellow
alive" said Endy, ''and Jake, take hold
of this until run up to the big hickory
and get that boX.' In a short time
Endy returned with Il soap-boX lined
with leather. The lid was Il rude affair,
made of heavy wire. He set the box
down, and then took hold of the prong.
The snake was then made to swallow Il
wadding-ball, and when it was under
it's influence it was easily thrown into
the box, and the lid fastened with
staples. The snake measured 8 feet in
length. Another start was made, and
in about an hour and 4 half five fair
sized snakes were killed. All of the
party were on time at the appointed
place of meeting. Nineteen snakes had
| been captured. Jake was asked what
he had in that vial.
''That's the best thing in the world
to put any man or beast to sleep you
ever heard. We get it by stewing up
Indian turnip, hazel nut, dock, and
one or two other things that the wo-
men folks gather on the hills. Old
Granny Lippard first gave it to the peo-
pie in these parts. There was a horse
got his leg broke for Gen. Bridge, and
they had an idea that they could set it
| if the horse could be put to sleep and
put out of pain. Old Granny stewed
'em up some. and they give it to the
! horse, and it put him to sleep.
! We tried the stuff on dogs, goats,
sheep. and on fish, and towards the
last we got it on the snakes, and it
works like charm. wouldn't like
to give it to human being for fear it
might put him SO sound to sleep that
he'd never get over it.
The men cut off the heads Of the
reptiles, extracted the poisonous sacks
and put them in one box. In reply to
a question as to what that poison was
good for, one said: ''in the first place
! it is not dangerous if you keep it away
from your blood. The women folks
use it, very sparingly, though. Some
times they mix it with camphor te
smell Of for the headache. A little
boiled with dock leaves and wild laurie
is a good wash for rheumatism. Stiff
joints are limbered up pretty well whe1
a sac is thrown into warm water will
salt and a little mustard. The skins
dried are said to cure headache, ear
ache. rheumatism, wild1ire, or ring
worm, if worn around the arms.
Last year these four men killed 32I
snakes in three months. and they in
tend to exceed that number this year
'These snakes we got here,;' said En-
dy, care the worst kind of rattlers
They live on mice ard bird. There il
no such thing in my mind rs charming
y bird. My opinion is that the SNAKE
comes on the bird so suddenly that i
gets scared to death. | don't believ'
one-half the snake stories hear nova
layS.''