Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-08-06
Some Items About Snakes

snakes?' asked an agricultural looking
gentleman of the Edglc's city editor the
other day.
If they are fresh and true, respond
cd the city editor.
Exactly" replied the farmer. These
items are both. Nobody knows EN- but
me. I've got farm down on the Island
a piece, and there's lots of snakes onto
it. Near the house is pond about SIX
feet deep. A week ago my little girl
jumped into the pond, and would have
drowned if it hadn't been for snake
The snake seen her and went for her and
brought her ashore The particular
point about this item IL the way he did
it"
"How was t." asked the city editor.
1T WAS black snake about thirty feet
long, and he Just coiled the middle Of
himself around her neck so she couldn't
swallow any water, and SWIM ashore with
his head and his tail Is that good
item 2"
First class
You can spread ii out, You know.
After they got ashore the girl patted the
snake on the head and it went off pleased
as Punch. Ever since then he comes to
the house regular at meal times, and she
feeds him on pie He likes pie. Think
YOU can make anything out of that item ?"
Certainly Know any more ?"
"Yes. l got a baby six months old.
He's boy. We generally set him out on
the grass of morning, and he hollers
like u bull all day, at least he used to,
but he don't any more. One morning We
noticed he wasn't hollering, and wonder
ed what was up When We looked, there
was rattlesnake coiled up in front of
him scanning his features. The boy was
grinning and the snake was grinning.
Bimeby the snake turned his tail to the
baby and backed his rattle right into the
baby's fist.
"What did the baby do?"
.'Why he Just ratified that tail So you
could hear it three quarters of mile,
and the snake lay there and grinned
Every morning We found the snake there,
until one day a bigger snake came, and
the baby played with his rattle Just the
same till the first snake came back. He
looked thin, and | reckon h. had been
sick and sent the other snake to take his
place Will that do for an item?"
immensely, replied the city editor.
"You can fill in about the confidence
of childhood, and all that, and you might
say something about the blue-eyed cher
ub. His name is Isaac. Pu. that in to
please my wife
I'll do it. Any more snake items?"
'Lemme see. You've heard of hoop
snakes?'
"Yes, often
Just So Not long ago We heard
fearful row in our cellar one night 1t
sounded like rock blast, and then there
was hiss and then things was quiet
When l looked i'll the morning found
the cider barrel had busted. But We
didn't lose much cider
allow did you save it?"
1T seems that the slaves had busted
uEi, bat before they could get away, four
hoop snakes coiled around the barrel and
frightened it up and held it together until
We drew the cider off IN bottles. That's
the way We found 'em, and we've kept
EN- around the house ever since. We're
training 'cn for shawl straps now. Does
that strike yon favorably for an item 2"
Enormously, responded the city
editor.
You ,..il tx it up 50 as to show how
quick they We're to get there before the
slaves were blown of. You can work in
the details"
''Of course. I'll attend to all that.
Do you think Of any more?"
Amt You got enough? Lemme think.
Oh, yes One Sunday me and nv wife
was going TO church, and she dropped
her CARER somewhere She told me
about it, and | noticed little striped
snake running alongside and listening to
her Bimeby he made n spring and lust
tried to, but he didn't fetch it,.
"Why not?"
He wasn't quite long enough. He
started on. We hadn't gone more'n
quarter of mile when We see him COM
ing out Of the woods Just ahead of u.s.
He was awful hot and tired, and he had
another snake with him, twice as big rs
he was. They looked at my wife Il min
ute and said something TO each other, and
then the big snake went right to the
place where the garter belonged. He
wrapped right around 1t. put his tail in
his mouth and went to sleep We've got
him yet We use him to hold the stove
pipe together when We put the stove up
Is that any use as an Item"
Certainly said the city editor.
You can say something about the first
snake's eye for distances, and his intel
lectuality when he found he wouldn't 60
round. Iou know how to do that better
than me
''Ill give him all the credit he deserves.
Can You tell us any more?"
Il don't call any to mind Just at pres
ent My wife knows lot of snake items,
but forget 'em. BY the way, though,