Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1878-07-27
An Ohio Editor Tells Snake Story.

bears, the moment they saw them,
plunged into the water and never came
out till the editors left. The chimpan-
zees appeared pleased, and frisked
about and extended hands numerous
times in token of hearty welcome. The
editors didn't like their familiarity, and
withdrew to the snakes. There was
one man in the party who eyed the boa
constructor and other large reptiles that
are wont to arouse the wonder of spec
tators with such indifference that he at
tracted the attention of all who saw
him. He looked like Deacon, and
some thought his manner toward the
snakes was on account of convictions
that disapproved of visiting such a place
on Sunday. But among the other edi-
tors whisper went round that he was
the man who had the recent experience
with large snake in Ohio. Some had
not heard of the affair, and after they
got out in the shade and seated them
selves on benches near the sea-lions, by
dint of a good deal of urging he was
prevailed on to relate the story, as fol-
lows:
"About month ago, feeling the deed
of relaxation, and knowing | had an
able substitute in my partner and busi-
ness manager, took brief vacation
from my editorial duties, and went down
to visit my brother on his farm on the
Sciota. The farmhouse stands on a
sloping piece of ground; below them
flows the Sciota River, clear and, cool,
and above them the ground ascends to
gentle knoll. 1t is very rocky in, that
region, and rattlesnakes, black
snakes of the racer species,
and scopperheads are said to
be. thicker here thanfin any other part
of Ohio. l had never seen any myself.
and so went there thinking little or
nothing about them. My brother's wife
is a great woman for raising chickens.
At the Ohio State Fair, last year, her
chickens took the first and second prize
for choice of breed and for large size.
When got down to the farm found
Mrs. in great distress. All her
large chickens had disappeared buttw
or three, and nobodyeould tell what be-
came of them. Varmints were not
plenty about there, so the blame could
not lay ON foxes. Neither could it be
put on persons, for all the folks about
there were honest farmers and belonged
to the church. One day was up on the
hillside, seated in the shade, as we are
now, reading, Presently, / happened to
look up, and saw, not twenty yards
from me, one of Mrs -'s large
Shanghai roosters. 1t was almost as
large as turkey, and remember, as |
watched him strutting around, l won
dered whether it wasn't his great size
that had kept him from going with the
rest I resumed my reading again, but
in less than minute heard dutterof
wings and looked up. The rooster was
nowhere to be SEEN The ground was
clear for, an area of half a mile. L got
up, and noticed short distance away,
near where had last seen the rooster,
what took TO be srat,roFs in the hollow
of q black stump. II went to the spot.
They were feathers. d The stump, - Z
came closer, seemed to recede q short
way into the ground, And the feathers
with it.o t3aeiias 81 isIsBis eE4sl ysliJ
Here the editor paused, and swept
the perspiration from his brow with a
red handkerchief, while the crowd, with
horror depicted on their faces as plainly
as these words are printed on paper,
drew their seats up closer and pushed
their heads nearer. ,xs.,,;s5 sas
Gentlemen" sssd the editor, care
fully placing his handkerchief in his
breast pocket, elf live to be 900 years
old shall never forget the cold sensa-
ton that seemed to creep through my
blood, when saw that stump had two
glittering eyes and a white ring around
its neck. 1t was racer, and i saw the
tail of the rooster sticking out of its
yawning mouth. / got down to the
house and my legs seemed like Timber
pine stems as l went. Half an hour
later my brother, myself and three Or
four of the neighbors returned to the
scene with ropes and a log-chain. We
knew it would only be waste of pow
| der and lead to try to shoot the snake,
so we got above him and rolled stones
down the hill till he drew his head into
the ground. Then we quickly laid the
/ log-chain around the hole in a sort of
draw-loop. To the other end of the
| chain we attached the rope.n Then we
got down the hill with the end of the
rope and waited. We did not have long
to wait. In less than thirty minutes he
came out. We waited till his neck'pro-
truded for about half foot, and then
we jerked the rope. The next moment
4 we had MIN fast. Three of us pulled
4 the rope, while the other two. got hand
spikes. Idiu aibCi = y~Ao
drew out till we had him
tail and all. His body seemed foot in
diameter and his length-ns here the
crowd with one accord thrust their
heads so close that the narrator was OBJ
liged to move back little for more
reomIss Ibis length was thirteen feet
and six or eight-let me see; | made
note of It," and he fumbled for his note
1 book, but the crowd said never mind ;
they'd take his word for it'll IS Fve left
it in my other coat-pocket,p he said.
-ss But never mind, 1t was either thirteen
i feet siUor thirteen feet eight inches; nay
impression is that it,, was thirteen feet
eight, but I want, to be. correct, and
wen give veracity the benefit Of doubt
and say thirteen six. We killed him
with handspikes, and afterward cut him
open. In his body we found the rooster
he had dilast-swallewed, and every one Of
the other chickens that so mysteriously
disappeared. There were nine. all told
and every one living" ~.
.sLivingi" calculated the crowd il
chorus 80
: aLiving," said the editor, calmly
".Before [ returned from my vacation
had the satisfaction of seeing three al
fine broods of chickens asiI ever expec
to see anywhere Matched by three o
these same hens that had been SO lanl
! imprisoned in that snakes body"
The party said no more, but sat il
deep Silence for about one minute
when somebody suggested that they b.
going, and they arose and repairet
thoughtfully to- the place where the,
keep polar bears. g. - dr ,:.s.at
MURIA KIMATA, of Toxic, Japan
formed a company to lend money t
the, poor at low intsrest. 1t proved
failure, for though there were enoug
; poor people anxious TO harrow, few Q
them would repay y, their ,iI s, leans. Muir