New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-03
RATTLESNARE AND BURGLARS
A NIGHTS ADVENTURE OF A NATURALIST


From Tho Youta's Companion.
BY dint of careful handling, the massasauga, in tins
and with injury to no one, was comfortably installed
wooden box With thick glass top which, to secure iss
best sunlight, brought into my sleeping apartment si
set on stand by ,he window aa not Intend 60 sSe
to kill 10 with choroform and stuff and mount the sEn.
their skin and wished it be invested IN the brighter
coors Of its new integument before carrying my plan
into effect.
AS had but few visitors, and seldom disturbed mr.
captive myself beyond what was requisite in the study
of its habits the massaSauga led quiet inert Life
enough and though Il seemed It. to casual observer
cleaned ever watchful with CLINT like that Of dDa
black gem.
When the suliry, depressing weather OF dogdays
came, tho last of July noticed that its skin
becoming dry and rough, and seemed to give uneasne
the reptile whose sugghness and rritabty al tbs
time became more marked This condition Of the
skin increased until it was stiff and iifeess and en.
closed the body like tight garment ready to burst
from the expansion within.
A film came over the eyes until the snake was ey.
IDENTIFY blind Its temper was now at Its worst and
any sound In its vicinity AT this time IL presented
its most horrd aspect, as with cracking skin and
head open its wide jaws, showing the swollen poison
gland above and behind the deadly down-curving
follow the sound to find object to strike. ! had
placed some stones in the box, and after while
observed the reptile when undisurbed had begun 70
spend much of its time gliding slowly back and forth
between them, rubbing against them and against tn'
side Of the box.
Presently saw that the old skin had burst at the
neck and the snake in skin, fresh and bright IA
color, working out of the old one. lt emergeo
by degrees, like grub from chrysalls, and In few
ness The reptile apparently greatly rh rsseryss
much Of the shape Of its former wearer aud at hasX
glance might be taken for another snake
On one September evening had gone to bed, ana
drawn from the bank considerable sum Of money
which was then In my room was awaEened mtre
the door of which had locked retiring opened
my eyes, but lay motonless In order to verify my I'M
thought detected the mniied footballs OF two per-
sons then some cautiously crossed the room and
leaned over my bed was surprised defenseess asa
eyes feigning sleep as the fash OF dark laStsn
after long look evidently satisfied OF the gen
ulneness of my sumber. He still stayed by me, but
spoke in whisper in thieves slang to his companion
He's Ripping fast enough Take the darkey and
go ahead and Pipe him. M heavy n,r conrensu,
TO A his he s s9he the 5t o heYS
other moving about softly lifting and searching my
clothes, opening drawers, and by the light OF d.x
he turned and came back to the other. ..,.,...
"rve looked tho room over and got the q, trnss
but can't find the leather with the dust In. III Try
there's anything under the pillow If he moves, stS
h s hand and stealing Ser ny b poT Tcss W.
presently found and Withdrawn could hear ssn ~
gold reaer, ticking from bag the me- burglar he'd
"Pve got the stuff he whispered. .Pll Just tsa
another look around the room. There's ooA ns'
He moved across the room, and came near The boz SS{
which held the snake. Through my haltelosed e,@
the glass.
can't make ont gl There Sc sSssSs S to
sS n ne asS lock- can Hsd bet take @
Chances to bust her openis
laid on the edge Of the bed, and felt him pOse u
IN ,,nt
to Sleep
I could hear tho lay the bag on the floor @S
then followed the quick cutting sound OF dla% 0Ses
ag and the fall Of piece Of glass into the sSS ns
rattle Of od he as aus ing mann put
hand and arm in the aperture he had made ana oVS
quickly within, and the man started back with ey
Of pain and ALARM and pulled out his ar VIII ith
force as to throw down the Do * bs bnSS which
tn pain s G% And soSS and kept ap his rattle
which had not stopped. -.
At the mans exclamation; the one at my peGsu I
demanded angrly what's the matter YOU iSo ohss on
ns out like fha'' DO you want TO RAISE 'n' H'
Jim, Pm dead man. I'm snake bit; i hoCS W.
for rattlesnakes The floor Is covered win ,neH
The snake was getting in HIS work with his raul,
In good shape and made the room resound Inc masa
beside the bed got nervous. The other with nlO
and his III rRreans steps could be heard on the stair
way. The man at my side muttered curse
"He can't be such a fool as TO have left the sNT
Anyway Pm not going to hunt for It In room 'nA'
a den of rattlesnakesn A..
The rattle reverberating sounded as though ~
roon was full Of snakes. The burglar could slane
no longer but stepping high and long as ne Swa
tho ROOM precpitately followed his comraie u nn
the stairs Shutting all doors he went amer n
as Is the custom of burglars. As the noise 9 lard
departure died away, the snake quoted ana n''~
him no more that night.
In the morning found the snake still coned up Ss
the floor and beside IL lay the bag dropped W ma
burglar, and which held intact all the pundea done
household On account of the service he hsn va
I changed my plan for the destruction OF tne ss
sauga and, having extracted his polsonglsn s,,,e-
TO q public museum which desired to add nVe 81. mn.
snake to its collection. When last visited .ns nv IN
scum q year or SO after the event, the snake 10y "A
apparent content In a den among silent cosost% M
lis fellows. 1t was wholly undcmonstratve, s Tho
not give me so much as rattle OF fecOgh,oitts ,hsr
burglars were never heard of again By me, aug Win
the Wounded man lived or died remains unhno""