The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-06-28

bhe Da' r gin him one swout, n put him
whar black mud want no service to
him.
"Its funny, but faint often you run
cross many O. these snakes along the
creek or in the woods. Fire in the
woods destroys lots O. rattlesnakes. We
used to have regular snake-ketcher in
this section. His name was Sam Helms.
He knowed every den there was in Pike
County, n WANT no more 'fraid to 60
into one than you are to eat your dinner.
He carried forked stick n silk hanky-
cher. He'd press the stick over the neck
of snake, n then snap the hankycher
in its face. The snake d ketch it in his
teeth. Sam d give quick jerk, n out
come the pizen fangs. Then Sam d pick
the snake up N put it in a bag. Some
times he'd bring home bushel O rat
tiers, besides hav'n' his pockets and
boczum full. He took 'em round the
country showin' of 'em. You know they
alters say that rattlesnake never gifts
more'n five feet long, nor he don't. But
Sam Helms made up his mind to show
some extraordinary big rattlers. So ne
rigs him up high box and had power
full strong magnyfyin' glass, bout six by
eight, put in the top for people to lock
through. This made his snakes look like
anycondees, an he made consid' BILE
money of mis- great Californy rattling
Ca-so-warys,' as he called 'em. They was
ketched on my farm, n was two feet
long. Sans dead now. Snakes got in his
boots n killed him."
"Uncle Jerry, you spoke OF having
seen hoopsnakes. Naturalists deny that
there is such a snake"
"Who's Natur' liss? He don't know
what he's talkin' bout, or 1 guess he
never was out this way. Amt no hoop
snakes? Mebbe fed seed me a-tearin'
down Rocky Hills with one O. these sar-
pints after me with his tail in his mouth,
rollin' along like the day of judgment,
only a sight faster, n hadseed me git be-
hind big oak tree, N heerd that snake
come agin't and set his stinger int so fur
he couldn't gift out, givin' me chance
to kill him, guess Mr.. Natur'liss "a
change his mind. That trees standin'
yit, but the pizen of that snake killed it
deader'n nail. That were a good many
year ago, N 1 amt seed but one or two
since. They're mighty sca'ce, n its a
good thing, fur they 'em the pizenist
snake they is. / heerd my father say
wunst that he were goin' up that same
Rocky Hill, an had long stick O. black
birch in his hand fur cane. He were
bout half way up the hill, when ne see
hoopsnake comm down, like streak O.
lightnin'. The ole man hadn't a chance
to git away, and so he squared hisself,
and when the snake came near enough,
whacked him with a stick. The snake
were comm so fast that when the stick
hit him he few in a dozen pieces. The
stinger struck the stick. The ole man
threw it on the ground, and he said in
less ten minutes it swelled up bigger'n
his arml You see when hoopsnake goes
for his prey it takes hold of horn that
sticks out'n its body near the tail, bout
an inch n half. That makes it like a
hoop, and way it goes"
"What is pilot, Uncle Jerry?"
GA pilot is called a copperhead by
some people. It's ez pizen 8 death. Il
ever yer goin' through ahayfield, or any
where's else, and smell strong smell o.
cowcumbers where you know there aim
no cowcumbers, look out. That's pilot
and the first thing you know he'll have
his hooks on you. kin smell a pilot ifhe''
on the fur side of ten-acre lot.
"They's a snake that I've killed {
many of in these parts they call the blow
in adder. When you get near him he'll
fatten his head out more'n double it
natural size, n make blowin' kind o
hiss. He's a crazy snake, but there's
mighty bit O. fire in his tooth.
"Now, mebbe it'll seem queer, but pc
rather tackle a dozen rattlesnakes thai
one blue racer any time. A blue racer
a blacksnake, SO black that he's blue, y
has a white ring round his neck. Hi
bite amt pizen, but he gifts to be ten an
'leven feet long, n is powerful almos' a
an OK. He's ginerally found bout bus
lots an berry patches, an if he gifts afte
you once an you run, he'll chase 20
two mile, up hill an down. He run
with his head raised foot or two 'bov
the ground, and don't lose sight of yot
one 'tacks you he'll have his hui
length wound around you in less'n n
time, and you've got to be sudden if b
don't close in on yer wizzin pipe. Lord
I'll never forgit the time It l had th
tussel with one O these snakes on tt
road through the Farms. were goil
long by the ford O the Shohol
Stretched cross the road, quite a pie'
ahead, see that / thort were big site
When got to It 1 see 'twere blac
snake. 1 thort 1 were nigh 'nuff to smas
his head with stone, an picks up
, big one an throwed it. 1t jist grazed Il
/, snakes head. He were on his ear in
e minute, an the fus' thing knowed W
i twisted round me like a rope, pinni
!. one arm close to my side. ketched Il
sarpint by the neck with t'other han
: an couldn't much more'A reach round
: By chokin' him he kind O. let up on h
coil, n l jerked my other arm loose,
}, he were atryin' his pootiest to git hit
t bout my neck. His tongue were runni
l out bout two inches at dart, bat
e want 'fraid O. that. Iopened my KIN
It with my teeth, n if / didn't have to c
/ that snake in two twice before cou
e get loose, / hope the mex one see III G
n me. He were nine feet and 'leven incl
e long, an five inches through. Wuns
o come cross one O. these snakes hal
he ing between two rails in fence.
d. were fast, N couldn't get either way.
lie killed him, an found a half-grown
as inside of him. That's the reason
Ut couldn't get through the fence.