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

Ihat's why the gallant came fldlng ny.
There's naught for the ladye that he loves best,
But q rose for the one that's loveliest."
Said one of the twain, "He thinks me fair"
So she set the rose in her golden hair. :
Then said the other, cit tain must be;
He thinks thee fair, but his loves for me-"
But the knight that rode in his pride of might,
Won death as the prize OF the well-fought
fight;
And the maiden that chose the better part
Won a red rose and broken heart.
HUNTING RATvTLESNAKE
Odd Experience that may Be Had in Penn
sylvania.
Correspondence New York Sun.
The party was to start from the cabin
of Jake Smith, whose home is 4 miles
from Snipe Creek, on a spur of the
Blue Ridge that juts out from the
northwest boundary Of Lehigh county.
Three miles from his place is barren
tract known us Rattlesnake Ledge.
Smith had three friends, Henry Lar
kins, Budd llemple, and Hiram Endy,
of whom he is the acknowledged lead
er. lie is a tall, raW-boned siX-fOOter
with a face covered with short black
whiskers. The three others are rough
woodsmen, yet full of fun and fond Of
adventure. They seemed to be elated
at having Il stranger in the party.
''Just come along.'' said Smith. :'you
won't be getting into any harm. Put
on a heavy pair Of boots, and keep
your eyes open and your wits about
you.'' The party started early yester-
day. The Ledge reached, pipes were
smoked until sun-up. Smith went
away, and after he had been gone a
half.hour he called up from the rocks,
and we went to him. lie stood smil.
ing, and exclaimed, "Herc's an early
bird out for an airing.' On the rock,
and pinned to it by a forked stick.
writhed a reptile about 4 feet in
length. Jake told Endy to hold the
prong down. Taking out a small phial
from vest-pocket, he saturated i
piece of black wadtiing with the H.
quor it contained. lie placed the wad.
ding on stick. and then put it into
the serpent's mouth. 1t operated like
magic. The snakes body dropped flat
on the rock.
'.That'll do, said Jake. stake the
prong off. He's dosed like charm. -
Jake then held the snake by the tail,
and said that the stuff would keep it
unconscious for ten minutes. The
reptile had six fully-developed rattles.
These were cut off. The ten minutes
had scarcely Ella ,sed before the snake
revived. His throat began swelling,
his eyes protrude, and he shook his
tail, but the rattles were gone. lie
tried to shake again, and then sank
his fangs deep into his body again and
again, frothed ut the mouth, and died
apparently in agony.
81 just did that to let you know how
mad a RATHER gets when he is clipped;
said Jake. "You see how blue the in.
side of his mouth is? Well, that's the
way they all get. That pronged long
tooth of his is not dangerous. Behind
that long tooth is a small bag that ]
will show you after awhile. 1t is d
kind of a bag about half as big as pea
In that is the poison. When RATHER
gets mad, and just before he strikes
he'll give his teeth bath of poison
and then drive in the fangs. The
teeth are hollow on the ends, and nc
matter if they go through mans
clothes, the poison won't wipe off, but
it will drop when the teeth touch
bloOd.''
The sun was very hot, and the bar
rem ledge, exposed to the full rays, was
getting scorching. Each man was pro
vided with stout hickory stick, will
prong ut the lower end. Each pu
on his feet rubber bottoms made Out
of cast off shoes, in order to get over
the rocks without making I. noise
Each took a different direction, will
the understanding that they shoult
meet at a spring, 2 miles over the hill
ut noon. '.You come with me- sail
Jake, whispering to the dog, and TIN
hunters separated among the rocks a
distance beyond hearing, so tina
whenever one might want help tn
other could come to his assistanc,
without losing much time.
''We generally lind 'em stretched OF
the rocks. They're naturally lazy
and they take to the sun like ducks t.
the water. They don't do much bu
sleep. On these hot rocks they he
come full of poison. Look there a
that dog will you?'' ssMaj' stood o.
ledge Of yellow rock about 50 yard
from where we were. His body Wa
silent as a statute, and his tail wagget
with the regularity of a pendulum
We approached silently, and when w
were within feet of the rock the do.
left his post and got behind his master
Jake pointed ahead, and there lay
rattlesnake ! feet in length sleep
ing in the sun. 1t Ia,