The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1879-08-13

~Oh Ruhe's Ratleshakes.
Last summer an article appeared in the
Times describing the burning of the log
cabin Of the rattlesnake man, Rube
Davis, opposite Hulett's Landing. We
gave a picture ofthe departure of "Old
Rubem and his wife to HarbOr Island. |
The old man was surrounded by his
yenomous pets, who cuddied about him
and the old woman as the weird looking |
couple pulled on two short clay pipes and
paddled away TO a new destination.
Another visit to Lake George has
brought us face to face with "Old
Rube." Heis short and thick, five feet
four inches high and weighs, we should
Judge. about one hundred and sixty
pounds. He has pale blue eye, dark
swarthy skin and is just such IAN indi-
vidual rs one can imagine a tanner of
horrible reptiles. His wife is woman
about sixty years old; goes barefooted;
is short and fat, with tangled hair and
green eyes. She is not a prepossessing
creature by any means, and as she turned
and sauirted dark saliva from her
thick, dirty lips we quickly ascertained
that she "chawed" tobacco. We told
"Old Rube" that we desired to see his
pets" and he invited us to walk around
behind the shanty. Aswe followed him
"Rube" showed us several boxes with
glass covers over them. We could hear
the whir and rattle of the horrid reptiles
castanets and could see that rage shot
forth from their glistening eyes at the
way which strangers gazed at them.
"Old Ruben laughed n sort of grunt
at our fright and then placed his mouth
near a hole in the glass and began a sort
of queer whistling or alto singing. The
noise was peculiar and the snakes
quickly dropped their heads. and pulled
in their long venomous tongues, while the
rattle of their tails ceased entirely.
Quick as thought "Old Rube" pushed
back the glass cover. He then put his
e hand into the box and drew forth a green
and white looking rattlesnake about five
feet long who was shaking eleven rattles.
He held the horrid- looking creature by
the head, allowing the varmint" to
wrap his length about his leg. He then
reached into the box and brought forth
another reptile. This he took in his left
hand all the time keeping up the queer
noise. The reptile cooled itself about
."Old Rubes waist. He continued to
pull out snakes, allowing the horrid
creatures to wrap their green and white
folds about his body. He placed them
about his waist about his shoulders.
about his legs. and finally they wound
themselves about his arms. He then
called the old woman and the weird
looking bag opened another box and
drew forth more reptiles, which she
placed about Rube's neck There stood
that old man, chanting his wild and dis
cordant notes, while his form was en-
veloped in living coil of deadly reptiles.
His whole form was covered with SER
penis from his neck to his feet. His
head and his face were the only portions
of his form visible as the old woman
wound the last serpent about his neck. s,
When the task was finished the old
woman said:
NOW, lOOh OUu 'tllu lllO
miles l4sctly re a concert"
'Greenback no clapped her hands three
SENATE. 100 rattlesnakes shot forth
-sive heads and tails about
\The AlaE." The weird incarnation of
Tn the SIN was nearly drowned by the
unea00. rattle of hundred snakes.
We\Iloved back with horror and
would have struck for the lake had not
the old woman said: Don't be fool
the snakes 'hain't got no fangs, and they
can't bite
But we had seen enough. We dropped
some change and started for the boat,
followed by the old woman, who re-
marked to us:
Pm goin' to let RUDE sweat min
nit or two. He can't get away until |
take off the snakes, and as he has got a
bottle of whisky hid from me in the
woods, not a hooter does he stir until
he promises to go snooks with me-"
As we showed off we heard "Old
Rube's" voice calling, Mother, hain't
you goin' to take off the snakes?" and
the old woman answered back: Yes
Rube, when yer tells me whar the
whisky isl Whitehall Times.