Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-10-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
A ReptiIian Eight.

FIGHT BETWEEN A RATHER AND A
BLACKsNAKE.
Il Large Aniount of Money Stdked on
the Result-DetdiLs Of the First aud
Only Round Bettoeen Their Snake
ships, Which Resulted in a Victory
for the Blacksndke, Etc.
1t was a warm day in August at
the Rockbridge Alum Springs, in Old
Virginia, and there were 900 visitors
sitting around the hotel and cottages,
killing time until the sun went down
behind Rattlesnake mountain. Among
the noted guests of Landlord Frazier
were Prof. Jackson, afterward known
as "Stonewall !" Honest John Letch-
er, Governor of the State; Congress
man John Kerr, of North Carolina,
and Prof. Mitchell, whose name is
given to the highest mountain in the
old North State, where he met his
tragic end.
Hosstetter, the professional hunter,
was anchored under the shade of
silver maple on the wide spreading
lawn, and around him were n number
of children and their colored nurses,
magnetiZed, as it were, by a rattle
snake with thirteen buttons which the
hunter had in a glass box covered
with drapery. Every now and then
the voice of Hosstetter could be heard
in the stiffness singing out: " Here
is the greatest curiosity on yearth; n
boss snake with thirteen buttons, and
the whole show can be seen for nine
pence.
Many children and colored people
availed themselves of the opportunity
to look on the I" greatest curiosity"
and old York shiIIings, which in Yir-
ginia were called ninepences,"
poured into Hosstetter's pockets. He
was getting rich fast when circum-
stance occurred that broke up his
speculation-for time at least.
Charley Mitchell, son of the Pro-
fessor, and Charley Hunt, of Rich
mond, had walked across the little
rustic bridge that spanned Alum
creek, where, in front of the billiard
room, summing himself near the wa
ter's edge, lay stretched out to his
full length a mammoth black snake.
MitchelI's pistol came out quickly
from his hip pocket, and he was in
the act of making target of the
peaceable king of all snakes, when
Hunt called a halt, saying: ' Vir-
ginians never kill black snake"
I" All reptiles should be sent where
the woodbine twineth, and why not
this one?'' asked Mitchell in an i'm
patient way.
Because" answered Hunt, in his
mildest tone of voice, ' wherever the
black snake makes his home no other
varmints of like species exist, for he
either kills or drives them out of ex-
istence."
| &c You don't mean to say that your
pet snake can whip one carrying rat
ties on his taiI?'' said Mitchell.
Hunt laughed heartily at the young
er mans lack of knowledge in regard
to snakes, and said: " Rattlesnakes
may be kings in North Carolina and
further South, but that lad lying
there is boss in these mountains.
and, in fact, all over this Common
wealth."
"That may be your opinion, but
I'll back mine with 500 that he can
not lick any rattiesnake alive" said
Mitchell.
"Pn go you just once" quickly
responded Hunt.
BY this time large crowd had as
sembled while on their way TO the
bowling alley to take their daily ex-
ercise and the usual rations of mint
juleps, and among them was IS Hon
est" John Letcher, into whose hands
the money was placed, to be given by
him to the hacker of the winning
snake after the fight was ended.
The black snake lay baslzing in the
sun, regardless of the discussion he
caused. He seemed perfectly at ease,
not caring a continental for the su-
perior intelligence that stood off at n
safe distance. and as none of the ce-
!ebrities present cared about getting
close enough to his snakeship to dis
turb him, truce existed for the time
being. The black snake being on
hand, ready for anything that turned
up, the question arose as to where n
rattler could be found, as they were
rather scarce in the immediate yicin-
Iity of the sleeping beauty. But a
happy thought struck Mitchell, and
he proposed that a committee of three
be appointed to wait upon Hosstetter
and purchase his show. As Mitchell
was the mover of the resolution, the
self-organized committee of the whole
appointed him chairman, and Gov.
Letcher and Hunt made up the trio
to call upon Hosstetter-the wild SON
Of the AlIeghaneys-with all power to