Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-01-24
RATS. CATS AND SNAKES


'hen' as, Tor instance, by placing n
written character on tho ceiling, or
many characters at times, under tho
popular supposltion that rats, like
people, SO respect the written charac-
WI that they will not desecra Z It by
waving over 1t. Some rats, however,
% %% sad to bo like some people, n
"o eearm docs not always we o.
'"S.orhy toughest and ci
asd % m0S Fo Gh the market call pl
u,uolI' % I%'pSSssupplied. til
""| Mason aud Mary Gibson y, ~
we're acquitted of the charge Of corr . :,
ni'ting breach ofthe pes~.' noticeNbly
lay. y amner. after the
ksgs havo thawed ont.
II. ii. Anderse ~ btlcss, make II i'll,
I ior'..v rats, but their principal food u
Inc eggs and young Of the swolIows
which live under Tho caves OaS
can always toll when tho an, 10
died at Brierg tho excited chatterinr
49, ~ - ~ 1rods - u
Deceased was broth ,,e reos : OF them
Mop ..ag'n, Of, IN tho hot ,ios y on% "
J"ober away at him with all their
might Others fly away and enlist the
services Of tine impudcnt magpies, who
come screaming in their schrill tones
and give Mr.. Snake sharp die IN
somo unprotected part. Tho snake
sually gets the worst of the encounter
and runs to cover.
The people will not kill the snakes.
they have n superstition based on fear
ihoy trace Il buck to story concern
Ing man who killed n poisonous
snake and nftcrward was killed to-
gether with his whole family, by the
iGais OF the dead reptile. The house
.,os -,,,,s, q 5lrc cn some ihroo feet in length.
,,onomo 49, more and "my.barmless
IN occasional feline seren ado becus-J
IN appreciated favor. Cats are some-
,imos kept. but they nre seldom seen,
while dogs are everywhere and wea-
sells arc not a rarity. The latter are
always wild and confino thoir raids
mostly to ohickons.
Tho cat Is considered nm uncanny
animal and never occupies the place 1t
does In European household. The
superstition concerning the cat is also
traced back to story, and is as harm
ful 10 tho descendants Of the hero Tor
heroine) Of the story as 1t was beneficial
in the case OF the snake.
1t is reported that once upon time
n farmer working in tho field felt n
sense of vacdity which frequent tight
ening OF his belt would not relieve.
He went on till he could wait no long
er, and from wondering why his spouse
had not brought him his customary
NJ a ~arkcd himself up into rago
A .nC@sligence- He decided to go
the Clart 'ssse the matter. and on the
""y ne took the precaution of selec
ing good club for any necessary use
such rs clubs may bc put to. Reach
Ing his house. he espied his wife lying
on mat with her baby in her arms,
apparently both asleep. "Ah har' ho
cried, "This Is the way you loiter
around while / work in tho field till
my belly has vanished. I'll teach you
thing or two" With which he struck
her sound blow. which only resulted
in joltlng tho babe from the breast
and disclosing drop Of blood where
milk should have been.
The enragcd father was startled.
He forgot his anger as he saw that his
little family lay dead before him. Ho
went 10 examining the apartment and
under chest he found lot of blood
and the half Of snake. with a cat still
eating Mt the living head and upper
portion Of the body. The snakes head
still jumbed about and the fangs
darted out, keeping tho cat busy TO
keep out OF tho way. But the jumping
head had struck the sleeping mother
and the deadly fangs had pierced her
flesh, sending the poisoned blood into
the nursing infant. killing them both.
Since that time cats are not kept in
the country, and are seldom seen in
the cities. When seen they appear
wild and run as II afraid Of their lives
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.