The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-03-18

pure amber gum had exuded fror
seam about half way between th
roots and the top. | found the spo
and eagerly jammed my way il
tamopg the thickly growing shru
that extended down the whole fac
of the bank for | saw that T coulc
reach the big bright tears of gun
with my shafted chiseI.
This bank faced west, and as I ob
|served how the rays of the declin
ing sun were pouring their COLDER
sheen upon it thought what pIac
for the lurking of a snakel
thought 90, aud the thought thrilled
me as approached the bank bu
when I saw nv prize forgot all bu
how 1 should best secure it.
As | have said, jammed M
way into the shrub thicket, which
was there about breast high, Devel
looking down, for the cloth OF my
garments bad been selected to with
stand such contact, only looking uE
to where the gum was in reach o
my chisel, l had secured 20 or 81
pure Jumps, all within my react
from two standing places, and wa:
pushing reckiessly ahead against tht
Intervening shrub, when stopped
as though a thunderbolt had bursr
upon me from the clear sky above
Reader, did you ever hear thai
alarm ? If not you may have heard
our common locust-the rough hided-
gray backed, flying grasshopper
that sings with such sharp, ear.
piercing note. Well, strengthen and
intensity that sharp, ringing vibra.
ton tenfold, and then add to it his:
just as sharp and penetrating. and
you have the alarm note of the rat.
tlespaKe.
And this was what | heard and
what arrested my steps ,n starting
to sprlug back ard my heel Caught
in an obstruction, and in order to
save myself from falling l was oblig.
ed to grasp branch of the fallen
spruce, the only thing at hand stout
enough to support me, and in doing
this | made slight bounce to the
left Mercifui Power my left foot
came down on something that NOV
ed beneath it moved and strug-
gled and hissed land / felt as
though 10000 galvanic batteries had
sent their united currents surging
through my frame!
cast my eyes down and saw a
bright bow formed OF two fine
threads OF light, clearly defined, ,.amid
the deep shade Of the shrub. /
knew twas the monsters eyes, fam
ing mad fire, drawing that curve OF
light as the ugly triangular head
swept to and fro-but swept so only
for a moment. NY foot was upon
its body not more than third of the
distance from its tail, so that full
two thirds from the head was free
and it was large snake.
What did | do? What could |
do? Within one second after | look
ed down, the deadly reptile was
ready to strike. The head was
thrown far back; the upper jaw
raised until it fairly lay over toward
the crest, and | knew the blow was
coming. Icouli only throw up my
hands, start backward once more,
and think of the wife and two prec-
ious children at home. Ay, more
than that-much more | thought
of the old home where my parents
and my brothers and sisters were,
and l thought of that other home
where blessed spirits are gathered.
The blow came quick and strong,
striking me upon the left thigh, and
yet l forced my way backward with
out stopping. but looked down and
saw that the yenomous reptile was
clinging to the fabric of my pants,
the hooked fangs prevented his let
ting go while | was in motion. In
an instant. however, the preheDsile
tail, or the lower part OF the body
tthe tail cannot be very prehensile),
caught among the shrub. and the
iaugs were torn away.
Backward | staggered to the path,
faint and dizzy, knowing that | had
been struck and expecting every
moment ofeei the touch of the poi
son upon my vitals. As | reached
the path John was by my side. He
had noticed the fsilen spruce aid
was masking for It,
Coed graciousl What ails you ?''
be cried, as he caught sight of my
face.
Bitten !" | gasped-
"A rattlesnake " was his instant
query.
YES" said 1.
"Where p
| laid nv hand upon my thigh,
where | still felt the force of the
blow.
.Let'sl look. Well cut into it. bind
on piece of the fat of the dead one,
and then put for the hotel. Quick
where it 1t 2"
My thigh was exposed, fair and
ruddy, but not mark Of poison
fangs-no scratch or puncture Of any
kind.
There's no bite here, Vancy-not
sign of one"
Johnny's happy. thankful smile of
assurance gave me strength, and my
thoughts came to my aid.
1 looked where the thread of the
corduroy had been started up into
loops by the tearing away of the
snakes fangs, and saw that it was
directly over the Objectionable pock-
ct. l put my hand into the recepta-
Gle and drew forth the only thing it
contaiUed-the broad Eat piece of
shingle, with the trout line wound
upon it. The line was new and of
fine white silk. and We saw upon the
eiiken surface the stains OF the
snakes deadly virus, but We saw it
more plainly upon thesmooth wood.
The fangs had struck through the
pants pocket, and three turns Of the
line. to the wood and we could fol-
low the yelIowish lines where the
subtle poison had crept along the
grain Of the wood, as plainly as
though they had been drawn with