The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-05
SNAKE ITEMS.
" Fresh and True" Stories About
Things That Crawl.
TBrooklln Eagle.

| lBrooklin Eagle.J
| ado YOU want some items about snakes ?"
said an agricul ural-loOking gentleman TO
the Edqie'S city editor the other day.
"If they are fresh and true responded
the city editor.
EXACTLY" replied the farmer. "These
| items are both. Nobody knows 'em but
me. | got a farm down on the Island a
piece. ard there's lot OF snakes on to IT,.
Near the house is a pond about six feet
deep. A week ago my little girl Jumped
into the pond, and would have drowned II
it hadn't been for shake. The snake seen
her and went for her and brought her ashore.
The particular point about this item is the
way he did it,
..How was it!" asked the city editor
cit was black snake, about thirty feet
long. and he Just coled the middle OF him.
self around Der neck so she couldn't swal-
low any water and swum ashore with his
head and tail Is that good item 7"
"First class"
"You can spread it out, you know.
After they got ashore the girl patied the
snake on the head, and il went of 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 Temp
Certainly. Know any more ?"
"Yes. / got baby six months old.
He's a boy. We generally set him ont on
the grass OF a morning. and he boilers like
a bull all day, at least be used to, but don't
any more. One morning we noticed he
wasn't hOlleriDg and wondered what was
up. When we looked, there was rattle
snake coled 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 bis
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
ore day bigger snake came, and the baby
played with his rattle just the same till the
first snake came back. lie looked thin and
| reckon he bad been sick and sent the
other snake to take his place. Will that do
for an item!
Immensely" replied the city editor.
"You can ill in about the confidence OF
childhood, and all that, and you might say
something about the blue-eyed cherub.
His name is Isaac. Put that in to please
my wife"
.|Pll do it. ANY more snake items ?"
"Lemme see. You've heard of hoop
snakes?"
Yes often"
"Just so. Not long ago we heard a fear
full row in our cellar one night. Ii sounded
like rock blast, and then there was hiss
and then things was quiet. When looked
in the morning found the cider-barrel bad
busted. But we didn't loose much cider.
How did YOU save il 2" |
alt seems that the slaves had busted out, |
but before they could get away four hoop |
snakes coled around the barrel and tighten
ed il up and held ii together until we drew |
the cider off in bottles, That's the way we
found 'em, and we've kept them around |
the house ever since. We're training 'em
for sbawl-Sraps now. Does that strike you |
favorably for an itemy"
Enormously" responded the city
editor.
"You can fix it up so as TO show how
quick they was 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!"
"Ain't you got enough? Lemme think.
oh, yes! One Sunday me and my wife was
going to church. and she dropped her
garter somewhere. She told me about il
and noticed little striped snake running
along side and listening TO her. Bimeby
be made spring and just wound himself
around her stocking, or tried 10, but he
didn't fetch IT,"
"Why nots"
"He wasn't quite long enough. lie
Jumped down and shook his head and start
ed of. We hadn't gone more'n quarter OF
IA, xl,i At l.