The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-29
SAVED BY ASAAKE.
The Deadly Massasauga Acts as
the Executloner of a Mid
night Burglar.

was telling me OF the massasauga or
marsh rattlesnake reported to
abound in the vicinity. Glad Of a
chance to rest himself by talking, he
had dropped the head OF his axe
among the %brushwood he had been
chopping, and wiped his face with the
sleeve Of his red shirt.
They're little, but pizen," be said.
''There amt so many on 'em now.
Forty years ago when l kim to Michi-
gan they wuz that plenty the mowers
in the dry medders had to wind their
legs with hay ropes. The 'saugas'
teeth 'ud git stuck in the 7opes, and
there they'd dangle. A man 'ud git
loaded down with snakes by the
middle Of the mornin', an have a
time gittin' EN- off,"
"Did the mowers use to carry a
bottle in those days?" / asked.
wall, we g~inerally had some snake
medicine along" said Uncle BeIlinger,
in a tone OF a~ffectionate remem-
brance. Whisky, they say, is a
good thing for snake bites, but a bet
ter thing is to live where black ash
trees are and then you won't get bit"
'Do you believe, Uncle Bellinger
that it's true that rattlesnakes won't
go near an ash tree2"
"B'lIeye it! / know it. Show me a
man that ever saw a 'sauga in q black
ash swamp. Boys an women'H 90
huckleberryin' bar foot there and
neve think OF snakes. You better
believe me they put on their boots
when they 60 berryin' in some places.
Why do We see ash trees planted in
every farmers yard round these ere
marshes? Can ye answer me that?
It's ter keep r~attlesnakes from coming
round. Morn onct I've caught one OF
the critters layin' coiled up and made
a circle roun' him half OF ash leaves
and hall of Twin fire; he'd 60 through
the fire ruther than the ash leaves
ey'ry time. ] tell We ash leaves is pizen
to a 'sauga."
Uncle BeIlinger had enunciated, con-
corning an antipatby ascribed to the
genus ~crotalus, a popular belief most
strongly endorsed v those who live
in regions where they would naturally
have the best opportunities of obser-
walton in the matter. was spending
a few weeks OF the early summer in
this rural region OF Michigan, and lad
a mind to study among other things
q little of the habits fthe rattlesnake
In connection with other matters of
natural history to which | was attend
ing.
Ibade Uncle Bellinger good-day and
went across the fields to the large
house at which, with several other
visitors, Twas staying. As I passed
the side door my landlady, Mrs.
Powers, had just bargained with a
bare-footed country lad, who stood
on the steps, for a basket of berries,
which be proceeded to empty into q
dish brought from the kitchen. As
he did SO he threw aside green leaves
that covered them.
Mrs, Powers demonstrated with him
for littering the yard, and he stopped
to pick them up. But in this purpose
he was met by a most emphatic
protest from Miss Ethel Dempsey, two
years old, who having been
attracted u~nnoticed to the spot by
the sight of the berries, had fallen to
gathering the leaves, and already was
holding them in her chubby hands
and arms.
At a movement of the boy to take
them she put up a red lip in token Of
an impending sQual, which caused
him to desist, and turning Indignantly
away she toddled with her treasures
around the house corner to the front
yard.
As | stood a moment by the steps
talking to Mrs. Powers we became
aware Of q sibilation from some In
known quarter, a whistling rattle
constantly growing louder and faster
until it filled the cir, and it was not
easy to ascertain whence it came.
The landlady, who had lived long in
the country, at once stopped TALKING,
and looking anxiously about tolocate
the sound; then she went quickly but
cautiously, watching the ground as
she walked towards the front of the
house. followed her.
AS she turned The corner where She
could command q full view OF the
front. she stopped short with q gasp
ing scream, and stood staring before
her with q countenance OF horror. L
stepped to her side, and saw a sight
that appalled, me.
On tie fat stone doorstep, sitting
edgewise in the attitude in which she
had climbed upon il. was Ethel gazing
in wonder and pleasure, as at q toy,
on q derk cS: mass lying before her
on the step. From the centrs Of the
mass the vibrating tail sent forth its
dreadful whizzing rattle. while lying
over it's own nattened coils rested the
supple neck, the heavy head OF the
massasauga, every cruel inedeepened
and intensified, the beady eyes CLEAN.
ING with anger, ais withfxed attention
it watched the child whose innocent
lace was not the senght Of its body
away.
As ii fascinated she was slowly
forward toward the snake
rattle Quickened as she drew
For q moment I stood motion
less, faafing to approach lest It preci
pitate the stroke, or TO speak lest she
4-I al 10 Lat D4ft nrf4ld i