The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-06-28


we're smartdog, but one day he though
he could git away with bar It he come
cross n the woods with young Jerry, 7
the BAR gin him one swout, N put hin
whar black mud want no service tc
him.
"Its funny, but faint often you rur
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 &c
into one than you are to eat your dinner
He carried forked stick N asilk hanky'
cher. He'd press the stick over the neck
of snake, n then snap the hankychel
in its face. The snake d ketch it in his
teeth. Sam ID 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 a 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 a 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 he
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 off'n his 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'l 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, IN 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 a chance
to kill him, guess Mr.. Natur'hss d
change his mind. That trees standin'
yit, but the pizen of that snake killed it
deader'n nail. That were good many
year ago, n 1 amt seed but one or two
since. They're mighty sca'ce, n its
good thing, fur they 'em the pizenist
snake they is. 1 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 a cane. He were
bout half way up the hill, when he see
hoopsnake comm down, like streak O.
lightnin'. The ole man hadn't chance
to git away, and 50 he squared hisself,
and when the snake camenear enough,
whacked him with a stick. The snake
were comm 80 fast that when the stick
hit him he flew in a dozen pieces. The
stinger struck the stick. The ole man
threw it on the ground, and he said in
less'n ten minutes it swelled up bigger'n
his arml Yousee 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
hoop, and way it goes"
"What is pilot, Uncle Jerry?"
GA pilot is called copperhead by
some people. It's ez pizen IS death. If
ever yer goin' through ahayfeld, or any
where's else, and smell strong smell of
where you know there amt
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's
on the fur side of ten-acre lot.
"They's a snake that Pve 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 its
natural size, n make a 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 I'd
rather tackle a dozen rattlesnakes than
one blue racer any time. A blue racers
a blacksnake, so black that he's blue, N
has a white ring round his neck. His
bite amt pizen, but he gifts to be ten an
'leven feet long, N is powerful almos' as
an OK. He's ginerally found bout bush
lots an berry patches, an if he gifts after
you once an you run, he'll chase you
two mile, up hill an down. He runs
with his head raised foot or two 'bove
the ground, and don't lose sight of you.
f one 'tacks you he'll have his hull
length wound around you in less'n no
time, and you've got to be sudden if he
don't close in on yer wizzin pipe. Lord!
Pll never forgit the time It l had the
tussel with one O. these snakes on the
road through the Farms. 1 were goin'
long by the ford O the Shoholy.
Stretched cross the road, quite piece
ahead, / see that 1 thort were big stick.
When l got to It 1 see 'twere black
snake. 1 thort I were nigh 'nuff to smash
his head with a stone, an 1 picks up a
big one an throwed it. 1t tjist grazed the
snakes head He were on his ear in a
minute, an the fus' thing I knowed was
twisted round me like rope, pinnin'
one arm close to my side. 1 ketched the
sarpint by the neck with t'other hand,
an couldn't much more'R reach round It.
By chokin' him he kind O let up on his
coil, n jerked my other arm loose, N
he were atryin' his pootiest to git hitch
bout my neck. His tongue were runnin'
out bout two inches at dart, but l
want 'fraid O. that. Iopened my knife
with my teeth, n if l didn't have to cut
that snake in two twice before could
get loose, Ihope the mex one 1 see III eat
me. He were nine feet and 'leven inches
long, an five inches through. Wunst