Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-14

at him. AS he bent over to fasten the
chain about clump OF bushes, one OF
those snakes would strike at his hands
and arms protected by heavy gauntlet
gloves. Returning home from his first
dayswork he found his boots and gloves
scratched in scores of places by the
fangs of those serpents.
"What are you doing?" asked a neigh
Dor.
"I'm clearing up the Doty swamp, "
was the reply.
The neighbor threw up his hands in
horror, aud exclaimed: Il wouldn' t
walk into that swamp, let alone work in
it, for farm. It's full of snakes, mostly
massaugas. Don't know what massaugas
are? Well, if one bites you. you'll know.
They are ten times worse than rattler,
and never give any warning before they
strike"
A few days later l learned the horror
with which the farmers regarded the
reptile. They were at work in the barn.
A little boy was playing just outside the
large open doors of barn where men
were cleaning up" wheat. An old lady
who was visiting the family was famous
| for taking snuff from large brown gutta-
percha box, in the form of coil. All at
once the boy exclaimed. "There's Mrs.
smiths snuff box!" and stopped over to
| pick it up. A pioneer farmer seized the
lad and hurled him twenty feet away,
and then darted back himself and seiz I'd
club. The snuff box proved to be a
big brown massauga, coiled up for a
spring at the unsuspecting child. 1t
darted toward the boys rescuer and
fought him desperately, but was finally
killed. 1t was popularity of those mas
saugas that they would turn up in the
most unexpected localities.
At last the swamp was cleared. Talk
about your brave knights that rode out
armor plated to fight their enemies! The
man who reclaimed that swamp was a
greater hero than aoy of them. More
than once great blue racer-a species
| so cowardly at times and so brave on
other occasions--coied itself about his
leg with construction SO strong as to al
most stop the circulation OF blood, and
darted its horrid but harmless head
toward his face.
When the bushes had been pulled out
unu plleu up anu uTi.t, tut luu vi puTu'
ing them fell to me. 1t was terrible fun
The flames had begun to sweep over the
piles of brushes when three great blue
racers came gliding out toward me. l
ran for dear life. aud the snakes pursued
me. They. can distance the feetest
horse, and soon reached me. Thea l
turned about to give them battle, when
the towards glided away from me with a
rush. The fire spread. More snakes
darted out of the reach of the flames. |
procured club and mounted large
stump For more than an hour stood
watching the horrible sight. The swamp
was bounded on one side by creek, on
another by the highway, on another by
| O cultivated field, and on the side where
stood by woods and more swamp. The
thick smoke aud flames drove al the
snakes in my direction.
Hundreds of massaugas dar ed past
the stump. Great rattlers, too, were in
the procession. and big black snakes, and
any number of striped and milk snakes.
As the hell of fire would suddenly lick
up brush heap, could see two or
three belated snakes spring up and then
wri.he ia awful contortions in the fire.
1t was scene of the inferno. Three
acres of fire, three acres of writhing
snakes! 1 shall never forget it.--Cleve.
land Plain Dealer.