The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-09-27
A SNAKE STORY.
An Experiment with the Dearly Rattle
snake.

ouoTo VI oblb Aeho ouu every mOIu ihS
after breakfast used to take q stroll
with my pipe through the sage-brush
that stretched from my door to the foot
of the hills, about quarter of a mile
of. generally had my botanizing tin
on my back, my insect forceps in my
pocket, and q short alpenstock, with a
geological hammer, in my hand. Thus
equipped, was sauntering along one
day, when heard soft rafting at my
feet, and, looking down, found that l
had brushed against plant which bore
bunch Of dry pods filled with ripe
seeds. stopped and picked it and as
l went along kept rafting the pods
in an idle way. All the time, too,
abounded in the nests Of three species
of birds, which from the eggs 1 knew
to be of the linnet, pipit and blackbird
kinds. used to find some every day,
for not only have / been an expert from
my youth up at birdnesting under any
circumstances, but the ground here was
particularly favorable. Your footsteps,
as they fell upon the carpet of last
years sage-leaves, were muffied, while
the bird sitting on its nest could not
see you, owing to the density of the
sage-bushes, until you were close upon
it. Sometimes the hen bird would fly
startled off her nest as L was actually
stepping over the bush where her
treasures were. So, as went along, 1
was examining the roots of the sage
brush, and cropping about with my
hands among the leaves, picking up an
insect here or flower there, and, as /
have said rattliug the seed-pods in my
hand from time to time.
Suddenly heard responsive rattle,
and looking down, found that was
walking through quite cluster of the
same plants. / picked handful,
thinking they would arouse my hosts
children, and soon after turned to
saunter homeward. / had taken only q
step or two when again L heard the
same sound, and instinctively looking
down, was just in time to see the last
few inches of dark colored' snake slip
ping under tuft of sage-brush.
l turned back the TUT with my alpen-
stock, and as did so the ominous rat
tie of the dangerous reptile sounded
its warning, and there, curled up at
the root of the bush, was the first rat.
tlesnake / had ever seen, and the larg-
est have ever seen alive.
My experience of snakes of all kinds
in Asia and Africa had long ago cured
me of any superstitious dread of them,
so proceeded to experiment upon the
worm" before me. gave it my al
penstock to strike at. The second
time 1 did so it struck with such vic.
iousness that one tooth pierced the
wood, and lifted the snake nearly of
the ground by its imbedded fang. The
tooth broke off, however Il cut out the
tiny point afterward with my knife,
and the rattlesnake re-coiled itself, and
again sprang its rattle. In reply rat
tied the seed-pods, and the snake re-
sponded Immediately, attempting after
each rattle to make its escape. But
| jerked it back again, and continued my
experiments, offering it my alpen-
stock to strike at 1t struck at it seven
times in succession, and then, exhaust
ed, refused to be irritated into retalia-
ton any more. During all the time the
rattle was kept sounding without any
intermission, though sometimes in a
/ iOWt bOllC bAah Obhclo, oO
that there seemed to be almost regu-
lar cadence. rise and fall, in the
sound. But at last the snake grew
weary of even rafting and hopeless OF
escape, and lay obstinately knotted up.
with its head flat on the ground, peer
ing up from under its coils.
/ had half mind to let the creature
60 with its life, such is my aversion to
needless killing; but remembering how
favorite spot this was for pleasure
seekers from Salt Lake City, and what
numbers of children are brought out
on holidays to wander about among the
sage-brush picking flowers, killed the
incau tious reptile and carried off the
rattle" twelve rattles and button
as reminder for the future that all
that rattles is not seed-pods.
How often, 1 wonder, during my
walks had l innocently heard the snake
at my feet and thought it was the
plant? During my stay l killed thir-
teen rattlesnakes, and all near the same
spot; so that the chances are that ]
made the mistake more than once.
But, after all, the rattlesnake, from
the very fact of its rattle, must be con-
sidered one of the least dangerous OF
the venomous reptiles. How many
thousands of lives would be annually
saved in India if the cobra had rattle
at the end of its tail How immeasur.
ably the terrors of the korait would be
lessened if it only gave warning of Its
presence Phil Robinson, az Har.
per'S Magazine.