The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-10-15
The Latest Snake Story.

The Latest Snake Story.
Saint Patrick. or some appropriate
representative of that benelicent saint,
is greatly needed just now near Kings
ton, N. 7. They have snakes there
eleven feet long and as thick as mans
wrist who chase people about the fields
and throttle them, and who are alto
gether very Objectionable denizens Of the
fields and groves.
However diverting to the snakes their
practice should at once be forbidden.
Mrs. Rachel Dederick is feelingly of
this opinion. She is the wife of Mr..
Frederick Dederick, q wagOnmaker of
Cairo, in Greene County. N. Y. A few
days ago she was passing through q
patch of blackberry bushes. She car
ried tin pail and was gathering some
berries for tea. This proceeding was
considered intrusive by certain snake
who dwelt hard by; and he made clear
his view of the case without delay.
1t appears that this particular repre-
sentative of the evil one was in the
habit of whistling as he went-not from
want of thought, but rather as an indi-
cation of the depth and virulence of his
mental processes that Mrs. Dede-
rick as she sauntered along heard his
dulcet strain amid the blackberry
bushes. She paused, she listened, she
hesitated. While Mrs. Dederick was
hesitating this particular foe of man
and womankind was peering at her
through, not an apple tree this time,
but a blackberry bush. At this moment
the artful snake was whistling Comm
through the Rye" or some other
equally seductive ditty, and, catching
sight of him, with a shrek that may
easily be imagined, Mrs. Dederick set
out rapidly for home.
Mrs. Dederick ran very fast; but the
faster she ran the faster ran the snake.
Presently, and while there was yet q
great deal of the blackberry patch to
get over, the reptile caught his fair
prey by her ankle, and, in spite of her
strenuous remonstrance, reinforced
soon afterward by . shower of blows
from her tin pot, the snake continued
to wind himself up very symmetrically
on Mrs. Dederick's person until he got
to her neck. BY this time, it is not
surprising to know, the poor woman
had ceased to run. In fact, she had
sat down upon the ground. And thus
she was found in an animated argu-
ment with the snake when Mr.. Dede-
rick arrived upon the scene and intro
duced diversion.
This consisted in Mrs. Dederick be-
ing laid flat upon the earth by her hus-
band and by that gentleman then exc
cutting a war dance on the serpent's
head with his boot heels. The process
was unattended by any whistling, and
was directly followed by Mrs. Dede-
rlck's happy release. A blue mark
surrounded her throat where the mon
ster had taken his final coil; and at the
moment of her rescue she tainted; but
these were the sole damages suffered
by the lady who lives to tell the tale
with racy vivacity to whomsoever may
wish to hear it.
Such in substance is the story told by
our enterprising contemporary the
Times this morning on the faith of an
esteemed correspondent at Kingston.
1t proves that even in our own happy
land women are not exempt from the
fluctuations of our common mother; and
Mr.. Dederick's neat performance on
the snakes head shows that prophecy,
even at this remote epoch, continues to
be verified in the most impressive man.
ner. When Mr.. Barnum receives the
skin of this audacious descendant of the
Tempter of Eve which covering is, of
course, some two fathons long-and it
is appropriately mounted and verified
by suitable affidavits, our esteemed
contempotary's latest snake story will
receive, no doubt, the admiring credence
which its merits so richly Deserve
N. Y. EUeninQ Post.