The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-10-06
In the Mountains.
A Remarkable adventure with Big Blaoksnake

HOW Cen Farley BLOW Quar-
One of the characters of this vii
lage is n venerable man named Uncle
John Hurr, who settled here more than
fifty years ago, and he takes great pleas
urc in relating incidents and stories of
pioneer times. Last evening there was
quite large party assembled under the
naples, and, the conversation turning
on snake stories, ex-Sherill Piatt. the
proprietor of the hotel, asked Uncle
John to tell the strangers something
about how plenty rattlesnakcs were lilly
years ago.
II fear you would not b'leeve me-"
said the veteran, ''if l was to tell y"u
what have seen the snakes DO"
''ls it true that rattlesnakes were so
plenty on these mountains once that tie
settlers had TO fire guns in the evening
to brighten them away and prevent them
from swimming the creek?"
That's fact" replied, Uncle.John.
"but can tell you something stranger
than that about the peskv varmintS.'
Lets have it," all hands exclaimed
ut once.
"Jst keep quiet an I'll tell how big
blacksnake once treated me-
"Well. once, about forty-nine years
ago, | went up on that mountain one
afternoon for hUcklcberries. They were
very plenty in those days, and SO were
the snakes. | carried Il small basket.
and it was not long before had il well
filled with very choice berries. l sot
the basket down by Il big stone and was
jist reachin' for some more berries when
heerd terrible trashin' in the bushes.
an soon ! seen the head of snake
comm toward me. | knew twas Il big
black racer ut once, an rs | always car
ricd II stout hickory stick prepared to
give battle if il tackled me-" and Uncle
John took off his spectacles and wiped
the glasses.
What did it ao?' inquired Judd, the
miller.
What did it do? Why. it jis sailed
up to my basket, and seizin' it in its
mouth sailed off thro' the bushes hold
in it as proudly rs if it had gathered
every berry"
Nov, Uncle John. you don't mean
that the snake carried off your basket
of huckle-bcrries in its MOUTH" said
Billy Swcatnam, the minstrel. who was
one of the summer visitors.
Il jist mean that" replied the pio-
ncer. us he brought his stout cane down
on the platform with thwack that
made the boards crack. "An' that's not
all; I'm not done with that snake yet"
Lets have the 'chOtc story" said
Billy.
We'll, | didn't like the idea of losin'
my basket, an SO l gave chase to the
racer. And the way we thrashed
around among the bushes for half an
| hour WIS u caution, the snake holdin'
my basket all the time in its mouth.
Finally l got near enough to hit it a
blow on the back as it was crawlin' over
log, and that settled it."
did you get the basket?" they all
asked.
Yes, Stree; but had TO pry its jaws
open with stick before it would let go
Of the handler
WAS it big snake?" inquired the
village blacksmith.
"A big snake! 1t just measured nine
feet long, and was rs thick rs young
saplin'," said Uncle John, us he pointed
to a maple about four inches in thick
ness. And then he removed his specta-
Giles and leaned back in his chair like Il
Congressman after voting for some biz
bill.
Gen. II. w. Farley, Democratic can
didatc for Congress in this district hap
pened along before Uncle John had fin
ished his snake story, and became an
Interested listener. Everybody knew
him, and they all demanded that he
should tell story.
The General took n seat, and, remov-
ing his spectacles, began by saying:
"When l was up the Sinnemaponing
Creek last winter, lookin' for timber,
discovered black bear coming down
the mountain pretty fast not far from
where was standing. and, supposing
that something had frightened him,
did not attempt To hide or climb tree.
Us | thought he would keep on. Eut
soon discovered that he WAS mad. and
that had made Il mistake. for the mo.
nicnt that he discovered me he gave {,
| growl. and. 0p@nshg hiS mouth very
wide, rushed ut me. had no weapon
with me but stout pockct-knife with 81
lone blade, and hurricdly opened it,
determined to sell my life dearly if the
| ferOciOuS beast attacked me- | didn't
have to wait long before brun came up
in front of me, and: rearing on his hind
legs. prepared 10 embrace me. As he
reached out his paws and undertook to
hug me, l jumped around to his back.
and, showing the knifc-blade into his
neck. drew it clear down to his tail cut
ting him so completely in two that he
fell apart at my feet. There was pow
erful pressure on that knife-b!adc, boys,
but it saved me!'-7rOut Run (Pd.)
Philadelphia Press.