Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-05-14
A SNAKE STORY.
Monsters Twenty Feet in Length in In.
tliana..FuriOus Attack Of Black
Snake ON a Yearling Colt.

regularly Ill lluldld rs uOSS inc : piAAIS'
In other words, springtime seems to be
prolific Of snake finds, and many rich
leads are struck. OF all the turnouts OF
hatheads, racers, rattle, water, and 9Th
er species of snakes reported from thus
section of Indiana, there have been
none that have equaled the one report
ed to the Commercial correspondent To-
day. And there never was snake'nnu
anywhere which caused more dread
tll. dangerous battle than did TINS one.
Mr.. Joshua Mills, a farmer, lives IN
the extreme northwestern part OF TINS
or the southeastern part OF Grant Coun-
ty. near the junction OF Delaware,
Grant. aud Madison Counties, and about
fifteen to eighteen miles from TINS city.
Day before yesterday he was cleaning
up patch of deadenlng on his farm.
The day was balmy and pleasant. AT ~
O'Clock in the forenoon he had ready for
burning three or -four heaps of brush, and
when about ready for doing so he con-
ceiyed the idea of cremating an old log
hoc-pen which stood near by. 4 hun
tred feet distant was a well which was
uncovered. was operated by deep
bucket attached to pole, and was
used for watering stock. A hundred
feet or so further on was large, shall
low pond of stagnant water, surround
ed by willows, and dead flags, and
coarse grass. The surrounding coun-
try is low, wet, and swampy. The hog
pen was fair specimen OF We olden
time sty,-roomy, with log flooring laid
on the ground and the structure resting
on large logs imbedded in the earth.
After determining upon burning the
hog-pen, on account of many rats, liz.
ards, etc., he had seen about it, and
because of its having done duty SO long
as to become pest, he at once proceed
ed to carry brush and throw into it. He
worked an hour at this. When he had
almost completed his work, and was in
the act of picking up the scattered
limbs and throwing them into the pen,
ne was startled at seeing mons
trous watersnake crawl out from under
the logs and start off toward the pond.
Mr.. Mills told the Commercial cores.
pondents informant that this snake was
not less than fourteen or sixteen feet
long and about eight inches in dame
ter. He was so completely dumbfound-
ed that he could not move for a mo-
ment, but finally ran towards the SER
pent, and with clubs succeeded in turn
ing its course away from the pond. He
then ran to the house for his gun, an
old-fashioned musket. When Mr.. Mills
returned the snake was not to be found.
He then fired the truck in the pen, and
started around firing the other heaps,
laying his gun on the ground not far
from the hog,pen The burning OF the
brush on the sty attracted to the scene
a horse and colt, the latter yearling,
which were running loose in the clear
ing. After lapse of probably twenty
minutes after placing fire to the hog
pen. Mr.. Mills heard a disturbance
among the horses, which were standing
near the fire. He looked up. The ami
mails were 100 yards distant, The first
thing that attracted Mr.. Mills attention
was the old horse kicking upward with
his hind feet as if wild. Inc colt was
stamping with his front feet. Finally
the old horse kicked high in the air and
ran, and at the same time something
like long rope whirled into the air
and fell to the ground. Mr.. Mills saw
tHeIe Was sOihCthibS WINS SOihS Oi,
and ran with all possible speed to where
the trouble was. The horse which had
ran away stood off 100 yards distant,
"whickering." The colt paved the
ground terribly, and it was not until Mr..
Mills was right at the place where stood
the colt that he comprehended the sit
uation. Around the body of the colt
were almost two coils of large snake.
It's tail was three or four times wrapped
around one front leg, and its head had
moved its coils around the colts body.
The colts eyes protruded, its breathing
was hard, it paved, pranced, and cavort-
ed around as if in the very thoes of
death. Mr.. Mills had no knife with
him OF sufficient size to cut the rep
tile in twain. He hadn't time TO
60 and get one, for the colt would
die in half-minute's time. The snake
was slowly tightening its coils, on either
side of it the colts flesh protrouded,
showing the terrible strength of the
twist. Mr.. Mills took in the situation
at glance. He must burst the reptile
with club, and TO do it very quick,
too. He sprang towards stake lying
on the ground, and just as he was pick
ing it up whirr whirr was heard
from behind, and, looking up, the fork
ed tongue of murderous rattlesneke
presented itself
The fire was so intensely hot there
that it scared the rattlesnake, and it
sped on and away. But then the colt
continued round and round, and paw
ing, slower and slower, as if ready to
fall at any moment. Its very life was
being squeezed out Of it. Without any
delay Mr.. Mills rushed that way, and
with one fell swoop with his club burst
the reptile until it's entrails were strewn
all over the animal, and it fell to the
ground dead. Strange, the colt was not
seriously injured, and it walked away.
But danger to Mr.. Mills had just be-
gun. When the horses ran away, a
score or more Of snakes Of various sizes
and kinds were seen running from the
fire. A load Of shot from his gun fail
ed to kill any of the huge, yellow'spot
ted monsters. Owing 70 the racket
caused by the horses, the snakes had SO