The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-05-19
Strange I;edfellOws..
From the Boston Post. !


Noone who has had experience with rails
and who hasn't?-need be told that, vermlh
as they are, they are not lacking IN courage
when cornercd But the most ardent Dellev-
cr in rats fighting abilities would hardly
think of pltlng even the blackest ana oravesl
of the Norway persuasion against healthy,
nnison. nufted rattlesnake. True, the serpent
is A sIow.coach at best, and, so long as an OPP
moment keeps out of striking distance, moth
ing is TO be feared. But, once he fastens a
fang on any living creature, except II be a pig
or mungoose, that creatures days are popu-
larlv supposed to be numbered. AS for rats
and mice they are food for even the mildest
of snakes, in the ordinary course Of nature,
and even so innocent constructor as the
black snake makes no furry IN lunchlng on
FULL grown squirrels. There are exceptions
to most rules, however, and within small
wire.cloth covered packing box in the store
of prominent Boston manufacturing flrm Is
now being eXemplfied one Of the most curl.
Gus of these exceptions. A short time since
one of the members of the firm spent few
weeks hunting in Florida, and on his return
he brought with HIM monster rattlesnake,
! the gift of friend. His snakeship measured
about five feet in length, aud has body the
size of mans arm, the white, yellow ana
brown Of his cutlcle blending rather beautl-
triangular head, characteristic OF venomous
ptiles has a sinister expression, and IN mo-
ents of excitement the five raitles keep up
unpleasant suggestive whirllng, while q
ked tongue of inky blackness and surprls-
length darts angrily from his 'urtie-llKe
mouth. He is no sleepy half.starveu feflow,
as may readily be imagined, but VIDE awake
and ready for an encounter OF any KIND. IL
was into the cage occupied by this snake that
three days since rather small-sized wharf
rat was introduced, in the expectation that
the rodent would form meal of the stranger
The ophidian monster seemed TO mink so 100
for he darted on the unwilling visitor and
caught him by the neck. The rat who had
hitherto been running around the cage trying
to get out, gave sharp squeal as he feit The
serpent's fangs, and, twisting himself about,
buried his teeth in the sCaly Jaw OF the
aggressor. The snake writhcd and twisted
and ratified sharp notes OF alarm as the rat
kept his sharp inCisOrs at work, ana before
the spectators could fairly comprehend what
had happened the little quadruped had shak-
en- himself loose and was hopping IN alright
at the further end Of the cage for a means OF
exit To the surprise of all he showed no
effects of poison, and when the snake again
made grab at him he met his creeping foe
half way and shipped off piece of mis- long
forked tongue This seemed to be rather
more than the Floridian had bargalned for
and he dragged himself into corner, cast
down and defeated. Since that time the raj
has fourished in his strange quarters. he
capers over the body of his whilom enemy
and avoids the punch of stick by creeping
under the head of the snake. The rat seem:
perfectly Indifferent as regards the reptile
and when the latter, reused to high degree
of anger by outsiders, makes strike at him
he hardly takes the trouble to dodge, .an(
only bites back when the RATHER is unusually
offensive. It's asingular condition of things
and the rats immunity from death cannot very
easily be accounted for.