The Newtown bee., 1879-09-10
cod Rube,so Rattlesnakes.

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 picture ofthe departure of "Old |
Rube g" and his wife to Harbor Island. |
venomous pets, who cuddled about him.
and the old woman as the weird looking |
couple pulled on two short clay pipes and |
padded 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 an indi-
vidual as one can imagine tanner of
horrible reptiles. His wife is a woman
about sixty years old; goes barefooted;
is short and fat, with tangled hair and
green eyes. She is not prepossessing
creature by any means, and as she turned
and squirted a 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. AS we followed him
Rube" showed us several boxes with
glass covers over them. We could hear
castanets and could see that rage shot
forth from their glistening eyes at the
way which strangers gaZed at them.
"Old RUDE laughed a sort of a grunt
at our fright and then placed his mouth
near 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
nf thoi,. t,,lc a,tira1x-
Quick as thought ''Old Rube" pushed
back the glass cover He then put his
hand into the box and drew forth 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 coiled itself about
"Old Rube's " waist. He continued to
pull out snakes, allowing the horrid
creatures to wrap their green and white
folds about lis 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 hag 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 us the old woman
| wound the last serpent about his neck.
When the task was finished the old
! woman said:
"Now, look out fellers, and the ami
miles will give a concert" -
She then clapped her hands three
times, when 100 rattlesnakes shot forth
their repulsive heads. and tails about
"Old Rube." The weird ntation of
the old man was nearly drowned by the
unearthly rattle of a hundred snakes.
We moved back with horror and
would have struck for the lake had not
the old woman said: Don't be a 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 Rube 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 hooter does he stir unit
he promises to go snooks with me-"
As we showed off we heard "Old
Rube's" voice calling. Mother, hahn
you goin' to take off the snakes?" and
the old woman answered back: Yes
Rube, when yer tells me whar the
whisky is. "-IVhitehGU Times.