Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-07-10


WINCHESTER, Va, June II.
Snake stories Of wonderful pro-
Rlor1iO1S are told here in the valley.
They are x0nohed tor, toe, which
uaakeS them sll the more interesting.
The hills for miles around are just
fun or -epf lies. TO the east Of this
historic old town stretch the Blue
RIDGE Mountains, To the west the
log North Mountain. spur Of the
5sccea AneEheRieS, towers above Its
narhbOrs. RatlleSnSkes, moccaSins
ard coVperheads abound. They
crawl cut from under every rock.
They lie in TIE pa,Eway-if there
hzrpens SO he n Pathway-readV for
= spring. They live singly, in pairs,
Esa whole Jtlores, and, in fact, In
eTe-y WY that snake ought to
I've They are a yenomous set, al
xays ready for business. 1t is true
tsEat llsey very seldom come down
from TIE mountain, but II anyone Is
u an desirnus Of starting upon a
snake hunt. all that is necessary is
20 step OF from one OF The numerous
rFs-H that centre here and climb up
aRoug the hills. The hunt Will be
= siE-nlsrly 0ne-sidei one. In fact
he Wont have 10 hunt at al, for the
snakes Eil hunt for him and take
matters into their own hands. They
are pretty likely 70 have it all their
Cwn Nay, too, and there isn't much
CReS-ian IS 20 which side viii re-
srest frst. II is over towards lees
gu-g where tbcsaaEes are The thick
ct There is where the big fellows
grow. Occasionally a lady VIII
wake ID and End ratjlesnake hid
den away under her bed, but then
pe0Fle get used to that SORT of thing
aFIer While. and such stories cease
70 De interesting. 1t Is the stories
told Nv tie diScllers up the mcun-
sains that people talk about.
FISuIN6 FOR A SNAKE.
There are lots Of whisky dislllers
aroucd the mountains. "Moon-
sinners : the men who diStill in
small ESy and eva6e taxation, a~e
xoyy scarce In tbs district. The
Deputy Collector keeps sharp look
cut is thoroughly familiar with all |
tie signs and quick 10 follow them
IN. ard IL takes \ mocnShiner of the |
<ha1TscS1 StaEap to elude his careful |
search. TIE diStiliers tell some |
rEvClOus tales, and are ready to |
hack tllesn NJ With ailidaYits aDy !
tine. ~.Taisia' about snakes" said |
enc cT Glsc1n. Who J. habits the Blue |
Ridge, near L.ncSburE, tie other day: |
~@Tslkin' about snakes, Why, look
veTe, and ae CTeaea lis cabin door |
and F7ointed % tie walls. They were |
fzirly covered with the skins of |
monsters Cf The reptile kind. There |
were stuifod rattleSnakeS looking |
down - you from over the door.
G=ttleSaskeS hung by their tails |
iTCn the cOr3eTs, ami one big fellow |
colled I'd On 6 box seemed all ready |
g spring Touch one of them and |
lie peculiar sound of the dry Iattles
would send a chill all over a person.
''Arc- t Y0U afraid of them 90
N-AfTaid OF what, snakes G'' and
tie distilier laughed cOntemptuous
T. 81 fO'sht with General Early
in the Talltsy, faced the Yankee ca
non and didn't run. Do yo' s'pose
I'D cet scared at a snake ? We
don't kesre for 'em. Ikill a dozen
or two Evegy mornin', just to keep
ssF hand in How2 Why, knock
'en over with sticks and shoot 'em.
NOsEia' easier. Sometimes I fish
for 'em. That's fun, but 'yo' have
Co work harder to do it. Perhaps
yo' would Ike 10 see IT done ?" and,
receiving rod in the affirmative,
the diStll.er led the way in front of
his cabin.
: aRdiag up against the door was
a i0Rg p.le with moose at the end.
The diSiller took il down, shook it
for a moment in his hands and look
cd around. t'I've caught lots of
snakes with this thing" he said.
'>If You lOok around right sharp
You'll md one somewhere"
Ab0u. forty feet away the sharp
eyes of the iislnler caught sight of
n shining skin. The snake was a
big one and was summing himself by
the side of log. MotiOning silence
t;Ie disti.lsr crept up to within poles
length and ddngled the moose under
the snakes nose. His snakeShip
stirred uneaSily, raised Lis head and,
seeing the cord. began striking at it. {
Pretty s03n Li5 head went through !