The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-06-20
Rat-H Hunting Snakes.

Some months ago q gentleman from
Dumfries paid a visit to a friend Of his in
the township Of Beverly Canada, q Mr..
Henry. and remained with him several
days. Duringhis visit the Dumfries gentle
man complained that his house was lit
orally infested with rats and mice. He
had tried every device to get rid Of them,
and all had failed. Mr.. Henry. who is as
ingenious as he is fond Of sport, declared
that he would battle the rats out of his
friends cellar in little less thar no time. to
use his own expression. Tn enextd day thetwo
drove to the gentlemnn's nous in Dunn
fries. Mr.. Henry took with him @ common
quarter-gross MATCHBOX pierced with a
few holes, which he carefully placed under
the seat Of the buggy. The Dumfries
gentleman. feeling that his friend was
going to give him a surprise, probably with
some improvement on a ferret, asked no
when it did come. Arrived at the house.
they had dinner, and after the Indies had
retired, Mr.. Henry placed the box on the
table and removed the lid. In an Instant
from the box leaped a full-grown garter
snake. measuring three feet and a half in
length. The reptile, which was highly ex-
cited with the heat, reared itself almost on
the extremity Of its tail and glided about
the table with remarkable rapidity, licking
its CHASTITY jaws with its forked and nimble
tongue. The Dumfries gentleman shrank
back into the corner almost petrified with
horror. Mr.. Henry showed how silly this
was by taking tho snake upon his arm and
handling it much as a hack-driver would
his whip-lash. His fears were finally over
come, and when he had composed himself
he led his friend into the cellar where the
snake was set ut liberty. The reptile i'm
mediatcly dartcd for the wall. and the next
moment discovered q hole, into which it
glided with the greatest ease. An interest
ed terrier stood at their heels, and both
gentlemen held clubs, which were trumps
just about then. Tn snake had not dis
appeared over n minute before half a dozen
rats bounced out of the hole and met a
terrible fate at the hands of their enemies
outside. But the snake was not satisfied;
it discovered every rnt-hole in the cellar,
and glided in and out among the rocks
where even a rat could not have 1t
was finally taken up and placed in the box
after twenty rats and almost as many mice
had been killed. The snake belongs to q
black garter family, which are in reality
the best friends the farmer has got. They
live exclusively on the field mice, worms,
flies. and other ver.nin. and if they OCCASION
ally swallow u frog or line on o couple Of
young ground birds, or accidentally glide
across the path of a human being, their
lives should be preserved. as their good
qualities counter-balance these defects.
The one possessed by Mr.. Henry was cap
turcd By him last simmer in a pea field,
and since he has had it no rats are to be
secn or heard of in the neighborhood of his
house. The reptile il kept in n box, as be-
fore stated. and fci upon liver. Next sum-
MGR Mr.. Henry intends to capture all the
snakes he possibly can alive and train them
up for the benefit of his neighbors.