The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-28
Iowa RnttleSnnkeS,

81 sce," said Judge Smith Ackcr, as he
moppcd his bald head with red and black
silk handkerchief, "that some papers de-
vote good deal of space to snake stories.
It's good plan, for people like to read
about snakes. There is curious fascina-
ton about the creatures, whether in the
body or in print. Now, have had some
experience with snakes, principally rattle
snakes, and it was not in Pike county, Pa,
either. Iowa used to bo no bad place for
snakes, and III tell you little experience
| had one summer and fall, good many
years ago, in Iowa. | went out to A[illcray,
late i'll August, to shoot prairie chickens.
Ten or twelve miles from Dubu I,lc is Il
regular young Ireland. The towns are
called Garyowcn, and Terry, and Bally-
clough, and Millcay. The people are,
most of them, Irish, and in Millcray there
is Il big monastery, where an Irish order of
the monks of La Trappe have Il colony.
They own thousands Of acres of land, and
are receiving as inmates or 'Brothcrs,' as
they call them, great many of the young
men around there. Well, to get back to
my snakes. went out to shoot chickens
and put up at the Twclvc-milc house. It
was then Il wclknown inn, right on the
road to Pixies Peak, and kept in good style
by Lem Litton, mighty good fellow. l
remember he had couple of pretty daugh-
tcrs and bright son, and hear one of the
girls has become nun and the boy is Il
Brother Wcll-snakcs2 Oh, yes. It
was my first season there, and Litton said
to me, Judge, you must look ,ut for snakes
on the prairie. Wear boots always, keep
your flask filled with whisky; and, look
here See this weed, and hc pointed to
small plant about ten inches high, of a pale
green color, and evidently species of cac-
tus, for the leaves were smooth, with little
thorns Oh the edges. THAT is the snake
weed, and if rattlcr docs get his tooth in
to you, just flll up with whisky, chew some
of that weed, swallow the juice, and put
the pulp on the bite. That'll fix you
''Well, sir, did find snakes, rattlcsnakcs,
lots of 'cm. My pointer usually let me
know where they were, and sometimes
they'd let me know by their shrill rattle.
I'd seen snakes in Stcubcn county, Ohio,
spotted fellows, but these were unlike any
I'd seen, being almost perfectly black, not
very large, but very active. killed seven
teen snakes and three chickens the first day
/ was out-not that the chickens weren't
thick, but the snakes were thicker and at
tracted more attention.
''The next day, willie working over
wheat stubblc where a gang OF men were
shocking wheat that had just been bound, I
heard a yell. One Of tho irishmcn had been
bitten by rattler that was under shcaf
of wheat, and had fastened in his arm as he
picked 1t up. The poor fellow was scared
to death most. l out with my flask Git
held a plump pint, and he put it to his lips,
and when he took 1t down it was empty.
Then we started him on run for the hotel.
looked for snake weed, but not blade
could find. believe that's usually the
way--you can't find It when you want 1t.
We got the man. whose name was Martin
something or other, to the house, and there
filled him up with more whisky. At first
1t didn't seem to affect him, and the arm
kept swelling and got black. But by'mby
Martin began to get happy then he got
hilarious; then fighting drunk, and final.
ly he fell Off his chair, dead drunk. He
was saved. The next day he was out with
his arm in sling, and found him over in
that same wheat stubble slowly walking
around, and gazing intcntly at the ground.
what are you looking for, Mart q / asked.
He looked up, winked slyly, and drawled
out: Faith, sur, Orm looking for the bolt
of a shnake.' took the hint, and gave
him good swig of whisky, without putting
him to the trouble of getting bitten by a
rattlcsnake In order to secure 1t.
1.-THE children around there used to kill
the snakes and pull off their rattles. BY
tying a thread around the centre Of the rat
ties, making O loop at each end of the
thread, and twisting 1t slowly around the
fingers, 10 that the thread would rub hard