The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-08-20
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A wHoPpIN' SNAKE STORY.


A WHOPPIN' SNAKE STORY.
u o,..a rs;4o par,,,od
's'u0ipn's' Asopo,
during the recent visit OF the onio
editors 10 fhlladelphla tne eaitoflai
party visited the Looiogical Gardens,
( and on Sunday at that, and while fa-
king in that institution one OF the oreth-
rem said to be w. w Bond, OF the CO.
lumbus Jonrnal related his experleleei
with snakes, which reporter oil tne
Philadelphia Times gulped down as fol-
lows:
The Ohio editors visited the Zoologic.
al Garden Yesterday morning. The
brown bears, the moment they saw thems
plunged into the water and never come
out till the editors left. The chimpan.
zees appeared pleased and frisked about
and extended their hands numerous
times in token of hearty welcome. The
editors didn't like their familiarity ami
withdrew to the snakes. There was one
man in the party who eyed the beacon
strictor and other large reptiles that are
wont to arouse the wonder of specta-
tors 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 dis
approved OF visiting such a place on
Sunday. But among the other editors
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 themselves
on benches near the sea lions, by dint Of
q good deal of urging he was prevailed
on to relate the story, as follows:
"About month ago, feeling the need
of relaxation and knowing had an able
substitute in my partner and business
manager, took brief vacation from
my editorial duties and went down to
visit my brother on his farm on the
Sciota. The farm house stands on a
sloping piece of ground; below them
flows the Sciota river, clear and cool,
and above them the ground ascends to q
gentle knoll. 1t is very rocky in that
; region and rattlesnakes. blacksnakes, Of
the racer species, and copperheads are
said to be thicker there than in any other
part of Ohio. I had never seen any
myself and SO went there thinking little
or nothing about them. My brothers
wife is great woman for raising chick
ems. At the Ohio State Fair last yeal
her chickens took the first and second
prize for choice of breed and for large
size. When / got down to the farm
found Mrs. -i in great distress. AL
! her large chickens had disappeared but
A two or three, and nobody could tell wha1
, became Of them. Varmints were moi
plenty about there, SO the blame couie
not lay on toxes. Neltner could IL o.
put on persons ior everybody aoou
there were nonest farmers, ana oeionges
: to the church. one Gay l was up oi
Y the hillside, seated IN the snaae' as w
Y are now, reading. fresentiy 4 happen
e ed to look up, aod saw, not twenty yard
/. from me, one OF MRS - large snan
' ghal roosters. IL was aimoss as iarg d
turkey, and remember as watcne'
him strutting around, wondered wnetn
: er 1t wasn't MS great size tnat nad Kep
MIN IRON going WIN tue resi-, l lesum
;, ed my reaoing again. out In less 'nan
: minute ! hearu nutter OF wings ant
: looked up. ane rooseer was no"her
10 DC seen. ine gfuunu was cieaf ~
an area OF nail mile got up ane
noticed q snort distance away nea
!, where l had iast seen tue rooster VIVA
! l took to be feathers In the noliow OF
:, black stump, ! went 70 Tue spot, Ane
were Ieatners. ihe stump as ! cam
Closer seemed 10 ieeeae SNORT way %
10 tue grouno' anu Tue iea'ners W''h H.
: Here the editor paused and swept tn
g perspiration from his brow with re-
s handkerchief, while thecrovd with hor
n ror depicted on their faces as plainly q
y these words are printed on paper, dre1
70 their seats up closer and pushed thei
heads nearer.
=, "GeDtlemeu." said the editor, CAREFUL
:. placing his handkerchief in his breas
= = pocket 'if / live to be nine hundred year
y :, old Ishall never forget the cold sensatio
:. that seemed to creep through my bloc
~ when saw that stump had two glitter
ing eyes and white ring around ite necl
y It was racer, and I saw the tail Of th
8 rooster sticking out OF its yawning moutI
g l got down to the house and my leg
d seemed like Timber pipe stems as | wen
'e Half an hour later my brother, myse
q and three or four of the neighbors return
% ed to the scene with ropes and a log chair
" We knew it would only bea waste of pov
y der and lead to try to shoot thesnake, 6
we got above him and rolled stones dow
d the hill till he drew his head into Ii
q ground. Then we quickly laid the 10
l. chain around the hole in sort OF u dra
!" loop. To the other end of the chain v
is attached the rope. Then we got dow
N the hill with the end of the rope and Wa
/. ted. We didn't have long to wait.
less than thirty minutes he came out. W
p waited till his neck protruded for abol
q. half foot, and then we jerked the rop
u The next moment We had him fas
It Three OF US pulled the rope while the otl
:. or two oot handsnikaa Yard after VAL