Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-03-04
News MiScelINney,
A Fierce Combat.
The Life and Death Struggle Be-
tween n Cat and a Rattle
snake.


About three weeks ago, during the
beautiful sunny weather we have had
which induced the trees to bud and
blooms / was walking in my Irden
one morning, thinking about preparing
for AN early start for spring vegetables,
when saw u large rattlesnake sun
ming. Ny first impulse was to go to
the house, get agun, aud kin II. But
looking around, | SAW very large
house cat cautiously creeping upJn the
reptile. AnticiDating fight, ard
equally desirous o, getting rid OF the
cat, which killed chickens, concluded
to witness his attack upon the sIAke.
The cat clawled upon its stomach,
pulling along on its feet, whlsking its
tail from side to side, and every now
and then stretching its neck to view
the snake. When about eight or ten
feet off, the snake suddenly coiled hp,
sprung its rattle, faced the cSt and dar
ted its forked tong in and ont rapidly.
The cat commenced rapid circle "a
round the snake, so fast in fact the eye
could hardly keep up with it. AT last
it got near enough and made dart ut
lis enemy, but through providential
reasons it went high above the snake,
which also struck at the cat, thus
breaking its coil. The cat went 100
far and by the time it had turned to
face its foe, the reptile was again coil
ed and ready for the attack. The same
method was adopted and carried ON for
four or five times, occupying at least
half an hour The cat wished to catch
the snake, but seemed aware that il it
missed the neck it would he certain
death. AT the sixth assault they met
anu instantly the snake was wrapped In
several folds around the body OF the
cat. which used its Sharp claws with
deadly effrct. The cat had been bitten
on the heAd. ana neck several times,
aud both continued to fight. The
snake Was torn nearly to Shreds, but
did not unlopse its coil around its vic
tim. The poison was swift and deadly
but before the cat died il caught the
snakes head in its north and crushed
it, and fighting they died, the snake
enwrapping the cat in its coils. The
snake measured four feet eight inches
AMI had thirteen rattlss s-AmtrjcuS
(Ga.) Republican.
DARING OCTRAGE. - w IlkesbArre
February l0.-Last Sunday evening
four young men broke into the residence
of Benjamin Smith, who lives Oh lone
ly road one mile from Wanamie, and
beat Smith with the handle of Il pitch
fork, after which they robbed him Of
sixty cents. Smith, who is So years
old, has "a family consisting of wife.
three daughters and son, all of whom
were at homo 1T the time except the
latter, and Smith claims that the ruf.
fans outraged his oldest daughter, and
made several attempts TO burh the
house. Two men named Felix Dathu
and Anthony Lafters, suspected of be.
ing implicated III the outrage, have
been arrested at Olyphant and will DC
taken to Newport :ur Il hearing.
The new Evangelical Lutheran
Church, ut TroXelville, Snyder county,
will be dedicated on Sunday, March ii,
services commencing at 3 O'Clock a.
NJ, in the afternoon ut o'clock and
in the evening ut O'Clock. ReyS. J.
NJ. Deitzler, of Lebanon, John Tomlin-
son, of Aaronsburg, Rev. ). G.
shannon, of Milroy, Rev. [. IIwine, of
Middleburg, and Rev. w. II. Wieand
arc the officiating ministers. A cordial
invitation is extended to alI.--MiFin-
burg Telegraph.
TIE STUPIDEsT MAN IN NAME
The stupidest man in the State is u
farm hand near Lebanon. He was hir-
ed TO plow a ten-acre field, and his boss
wishing him 20 draw straight furrow,
directed his attention to II cow grazing
right opposite, telling him TO drive di-
rectly toward that COW. He started
his horses and the farmers attention
was called to something else. In a
short time he looked around to see
what his hired man was doing. The
cow bad left her place and Was walking
around in the field and the hired man
following her, drawing azig-zag furrow
all over the feld.-Bdngor Me Com