Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-06-17
SOmeTrueSnake Stories.
III. c. Dodge, in Detroit Free Press.)

l. nave always lldu u IdASiOil lOT LUUi
ing snakes. | suppose living in the
country among them is The cause of it,.
In my boy hood ! loved fishing, aud
an old romantic hroken,iown mill dam
was II favorite spot where, With my legs
dangling over the side, would sit for
hours watching my cork bob mp and
down OH the water. Onc sunny spring
day, while in this posii0 felt some
thing hitting my bar. legs, but my ca
gerncss in looking after nibble pre-
vented my discovering for some time
that several angry snakes were making
target OF me. How quickly jumped
uD, increasing my terror by tumbling
on big copperhead coiled up behind
me, I'll meyer forget, nor the fight L
then had, tearing half the dam down,
before l succeeded in exterminating the
nest of seventeen snakes that had been
sitting on so contentedly.
Another time, while bathing III a
beautiful brook in the woods, noticed
large fish Topping in the shallow wa
ter just above me. / had moment
before captured with my hands ten
inch trout that had foOlishly hidden in
a crevice in the rocks, and without a
thought of the danger before me
rushed. naked of course, TO grab this
second one. got within yard of it
before | saw that an ugly, four-foot
The snake dropped the fish, and with
uplifted head and darting fangs went
for me, taking a mean advantage of my
defenseless condition. AS | retreated
hastily water snake that was basking
beneath stone i'm the water luckily
shot between my feet, causing me to
look down and see a small stone lying
there. Picking it up hurled it at my
rapidly advancing and dangerous ene-
my with such good aim that cut him
nea Is in two. In triumph bore him
and tie fishes home, but L never went
swimming there again without taking
a good look for snakes first.
Once was high in cherry tree, aud
as drew in fruit-laden branch big
snake glided into my arms and brushed
my face as he dropped TO the ground,
more frightened than l was. He was
probably charming the birds when in
terrupted.
Many times I've hunted snakes or
the edges of ponds, and on one occasion
killed twenty-seven. They made hor-
rid pile and, as the tails live till sun
down, they presented a lively appear
ance.
I've found snakes in the cellar, and
once, during terrible thunder storm,
on going upstairs, put my hand on big
black snake coiled around the bannist-
erS.
One morning I came across two
snakes of different species fighting each
other. The larger one was swallowing
the little fellow and to save its life |
killed the big one. Then, for fear of
accidents, dispatched the little one.
My sister and another girl were pick
ing flowers in the woods opposite our
cottage when they saw snake, and the
boldest of the two threw stick at it.
This was mistake, as they soon found
out, for hoop snakes are not to be TITLED
with. Putting its tail in its mouth and
making itself in the form Of hoop it
started after them willie they, shrek
ing, flew for the house, barely getting
in and closing the front door as the
sickening thud of the pursuer banged a.
gainst the outside. When any one
doubts their story they point to the
mark the serpent made on the door ,and
consider that an overwhelming proof.
don't vouch for this affair. for | was
away when it happened. Still it may
be true, worse yarns than that are told
of snakes and eagerly swallowed.
One day was in the brush hunting
for woodcock when the ugliest and
nearly the biggest snake l ever saw
stood straight up on its tail and stuck
his nasty face right in mine. In my
surprise my gun. went off and the
snakes head, too. I've always felt
proud of that shot though don't want
to try another just like it.
In the garden one morning foun
little shaker under a board, and ma n
aged to get it alive in glass jar: [
had lots of fun with it, and, in fact,
made quite pet of the handsome little
creature. He was very audacious. and
when would put him on the floor and
excite him by moving my foot he would
throw himself and spit at me and fol-
low me up so closely that sometimes /
had to take refuge on a chair or table.
think he was poisonous, but he es-
capped before he killed me.
My little 5-year old boy came run
ming in frightened the other day saying
big snake had chased him. went
out and found a venemous fat head ad-
der, which killed to his, the boys,
immense satisfaction. One morning
on my way to the train 1 stepped on a
four-foot pilot snake lying in my path.
AS he seemed chilled from the night