Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-08-19
THEY Is HOOP SNAKES.
Rocky Ridge Once Their Habitat,
and Ground Hog Cold PiZen to
Them.

! Rocky Ridge Once Their Habitat,
and Ground Hog Cold Pizen to
Them.
Ed. Mott of the Erie Railroad can
tell better Pike County story than any
other man, and we suppose that some
day he will be writing a book about
rattlesnskes, white deer and Pike
County appleiack. Here is his last
story about hoop snakes:
"Well, boys" said the Old Settler, as
he joined the crowd, 81 don't want to
git mad about this thing, but when a
feller tells me that hoop snakes amt
amongst the curiosities of this mum
dane sphere, he might iist as we'll call
me liar, an my father an my gram
father afore me a liar. Didn't an old
litter of hoop snake usty have his den
on top O. Rocky Hill? an didn't he an
his posterity make it warm for my
gran father an my father, an me, off
an on, year in an year ont, fur forty
year? Well, mebbe they didn't; but if
you're hankerin' arter facts that won't
wash out nor shrink, kin tell you that
he did"
'Major," said the Sheriff, sis that
hoop snake, or any of its offspring,
hanging out at Rocky Hill yet?"
Scarcely" replied the Old Settler.
''Not by no means, he amt. But I've
got the tail horn of the father of em all
'mongst my traps. You see hoop snakes
live principally on deer, and"
"On deer, Major" interrupted the
Sheriff. ''Now, say, Major, can't you
get their feed down at least to a ground
hog? ?"
"What p said the Old Settler, "Hoop
snakes eat q groun' hog? Why, groun'
hogs is cold pizen to hoop snakes The
groun' hog don't know it, but hoop
snakes has to pack right up an git If a
groun' hog digs his cellar anywhere
nigh 'em. An that's jest what's druv
the hoop snakes out o. this kentry. The
groun' hogs has got too thick for the
sarpints, an they've picked up their
tails and rolled off to'rds the settin' sun,
or some other part O. the footstool. The
way I foun' out this little fact in nat raj
hist'ry was this. Rocky Hill was one o
the boss ridges for deer, and my gran
father an my father usty to hunt there
more'n any other place, though they
had to take the chances with the hoop
ers, as we call the snakes. Creased
lightnin' amt the millionth part of q
second quicker'n a hooper, an a
hooper'd sooner chase man than eat.
My grandfather an my father, an me
arter 'em, know'd how to manage 'em.
Soon as we'd see one start down the hill
for us we'd drop behind tree, and ker-
sock, the hooper would slap his horn in
ter it. Mebbe you've noticed how many
dead trees they is up along the south side
o. Rocky. Them was all killed by hoop
snakes sockin' their stiagers in 'em in
stead o. inter us. The pizen killed 'em
in the jerk of a lambs tail But them
| hoopers was so durn suddint that we
never could git club on to one before
he'd have his horn out o. the tree an in
his mouth again, and be rollin' on
down the hill like runaway wagon
wheel. My gran'father nor my father
never killed one O the hoopers, an
they died b'lievin' that hoop snakes was
charmed, an couldn't be killed. Well,
one day I was huntin' on the hill, when
big buck got up just in front O. me.
He kinder loped along, an was drawin'
bead on him when see hoop snake
start down the ridge right at the deer.
echo no !! says l. 'IH wait an
see the fun
"Jest after the snake reached the
deer, a groun' hog came out of his hole,
which was a new one, an I hadn't
noticed it, an stepped between the
snake that was whizzin' along an the
deer. The snake struck the groun' hog
plumb in the side, an the groun' hog
didn't seem to know it. The deer went
on; but didn't see the snake. / put a
ball through the groun' hogs head, an
he dropped. l went up to him. He was
dead, an layin' by him was the hooper,
Jest as dead as he was. That kinder
staggered me. Pooty soon l got an
idee. picked up the groun' hog an
walked along the side O. the ridge,
keepin' sharp eye out fur hoopers.
Not more'n a mint arterw'ds [ see an ole
whopper start from the top O. the hill
straight for me. 1 stopped an braced
myself. When the snake got to where
one more turn would bring him agin
me, / lowered the groun' hog. The
snake put his stinger three inches inter
the carcass, give one gasp, and was
deader'n q shared pheasant. An that's
the way found out that groun' hogs
was cold pizen to hoopers. / couldn't
tell you why, but them's the facts that
l kin make affidavy to-"
There was dead silence for three min
utes.
"The hooper was the father O. the
nest" continued the Old Settler. 81
knowed it by his size. / cut his horn
off, an I've got it yet. The biggest
fight ever had was over that horn. Old
Sol Helms said, when 1 showed it to
him, that it was one o. the spurs of
game rooster somebody had stole from
him day or two before. So had to
pitch in an lick him."