The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-07-29
A wEsr VI. SNAKE STORY.
I'm which our old Friend Or.
1ando Skssy. ESQ, Figures.

I'm which our old Friend Or
1ando Shssy. ESQ, Figures.
Keyser Tribune.
On Friday Of last week, in goine
to his office, Squire Shay discovered
a full grown viper crawling acros,
the pavementeast of the Courthouse
yard. Instead of killing the reptile
in the ordinary way, it occurred tc
him as good opportunity to demon
strate theory he had long held on
the subject of snakes, viz, killing
themselves by self poison. He sum
moned Constable Head to bring a
club, and called a number Of intelli
gent persons To witness the curious
experiment. Among them, J. W
Keys, of She Keys House; Paul Nef
len, jeweler: Sam. johnson, photo
grapher: "Ally" Ritzell, wagonmaker
DC. Sam. Head appeared with two
hand stick. Then Justice Shay, like
lecturer on natural science, pre-.
faced the operation with q few re-
marks: "The snake will bite him
self on being worried, and in three
minutes die from the virus thus in
jected in its own body. have tried
it several times and know they will do
it. Now Sam, poke the reptile"
Constable Head began the opera
ton by vigorously punching about
his sfiakeship, but without bodily
injury to IT, that cavilers might not
attribute death to bruises. Suddenly
the serpent curled the head to one
side appeaed to bite itself, then flop
ped over on the back, opened wide
the mouth from which reddish
looking liquor oozed and the tongue
lolled feebly out on one side.
"There, now exclaimed the chief
operator, triumphantly, is dying"
and the snake seemed paralyzed and
in the last agonies of death. The
most doubling witness was con-
WINGED.
81 never would have believed it,"
remarked Keys.
"Most remarkable" said Neflen.
clad often heard tell, but never
saw it before" added Johnston.
"Ain't it wonderful was the gen
eral comment.
Mr.. Shay explained to others at
tracted to the sport, what had been
done, and last to win Welch, u
snake hunter from the country. He
was incredulous, and without max
ing an autopsy or holding post
norton, said cody: 1.-The snake
amt dead and will slip off when he
gets ready" Mr. Shay combatted
the proposition, declaring che had
frequently killed them in the same
way, and although some symptoms
of vitality remained in the viper it
must and would absolutely die from
the bite"
WEIGH was willing to submit to n
practical test.
"Put the snake where you can
watch it and conceal yourself" said
the countryman.
That plan was adopted. They
two with the Tribune reporter, went
inside the Justices office and the
corpse, so called, in front, on its
back-in fact, no effort could make
it lie any other way, which, to us,
was significant sign the snake had
died .traudulenly and was deter
mined to play corpse until safety
suggested resurrection. We had not
long to waite When all was still that
hideous historical deceiver, that
creeping, cunning reptile; that sub
tie, sneaking, insidious, venomous,
caricature of sin, cautiously raised
it's head, and at first event one eye"
on the situation, then quickly turned
over and was slipping off about as
lively as any corpse you ever saw.
Mr. Shay was doubly convinced the
repticide was delusion and fraud,
and went at the infamous farce play
err with vengeance.
"Stop, said the mountaineer "now
see how quick it will die again" He
touched the viper, and, to all intents,
it was as dead as ever. They did not,
however, accept this sham apology for
death, but pounded it into mince-meat
Mr.. Shay vows he will never again
engage a sneke to kill itself.
How forcible the scriptural express
sion! "Be We wise as serpents and
harmless as doves"