Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-03

in the mountain path. Her companion screamed and ran away. This frightened the snake and it started to make it's escape among the bushes. The chemists wife gave it chase and with stout staff that she car ried succeeded in killing it. She brought ground. It was over four feet in length and had a splendid set of fourteen rattles. The skin was remarkably perfect and brilliant in it's markings. To the horror of her female companions, the slayer of the snake said that the reptile was too beautiful to throw away, and declared that if by any process the skin could be preserved in it's colors and pliabili- ty, she would have it made into girdle. Her husband undertook the task of expert menting with chemicals on the skin, and suc- ceeded in preserving it in all the conditions required. He took it to New York and in due time returned it beautifully mounted with an ornamental silver clasp, and his wife appeared among her fellow-guests with her waist encircled by the gorgeous belt, and the fashion was at once set. The wearer of the belt declared that she would not sell her rat tlesnake girdle for any price.
 From that time on the demand for rattle snake skins became larger than the supply. Other resorts heard of the unique fashion, and the price of rattlesnakes, which had been considered 8 good sale at fifty cents apiece, rose to ss high as five dollars apiece. The season was far advanced then, and many of the boarders were returning to the city, but order after order was left with snake-hunters for skins to be cured and sent to New York addresses. The natives, however, had not mastered the art of curing them, and few of the orders were successfully filled. The tan ming of rattlesnake skins was then made 8 study by many of the mountaineers, among them Mir. Geer, and 1t is expected that this season the sale of the brilliant reptiles epi- dermis will be many and remuneratlve. Mir. Geer has already several orders for skins.
 The chemists wife started another fashion in rattlesnake ornaments also after her suc- cess with the girdle. She offered ten dollars for two sets of rattles as fine as the one in the snake she had killed to be evenly matched in size and number. These she succeeded in securing. Her husband took them to New York and had them polished by some delicate process, the rattles being very thin shell and easily broken. They were then made into pair of ear-drops, mounted in gold in an artistic manner. The like of these had never before been seen by any of the fair so- journers in the place, and demand for rat tlesnake jswelry arose, but the difficulty in getting sets of rgttles to match nicely was so great that not many ladies succeeded in se- curing the coveted ''gems." The chemists wife values her girdle and ear-drops at $500.
 deficiencies are numerous in the high and rocky and almost inaccessible portions of Delaware, Ulster and Sullivan counties, but are rarely seen except by those who make it their business to look for them They are the most cowardly of reptiles and fly at the first sound. It is only when they are come upon suddenly that they make any effort to defend themselves. The mon ey which certain parties have made by cap- turing the snake alike and by selling the oil has made it the subject of diligent search during the summer and fall, and large num- bers are captured and killed. The most sue cessfuI of these hunters is Mr. Geer. He hunts in 8 scientific manner, and has been close student of the habits of the rattlesnake. He has a remedy, known only to himself, which he affirms Is 8 sure cure for the bite of the rattlesnakes, as he has proved on many occasions