Sharp County record., 1888-11-15

home.
To demonstrate that these deadly
reptiles are slow to use their tangs
will state an instance. Rising quite
early one morning | went into the gar
den yard and took up an ARMAND OF
newly mOwn grass to feed the
cows. | had walked about four rods
with it when Iheard familiar "biz-zz"
and dropping the bundle OF grass l
beheld a large black rattler. ! had
pressed him against my breast, with
his cOld-blooded head touching my
face. The realization of such mar
row escape produces shudder even
yet, and | really owed my life to the
extreme stupidity of that snake.
Nevertheless, it was soon headless
corpse. A day or two previous to this
occurrence, while in the act of killing
a mountain RATHER, favOrite dog
pitched in for share of the racket
and was bitten. The suffering brute
stretched himself out to die, and as
a remedy | obtained few plants
of snake-root QiOn's heart) and,
chewing the roots, put the juice
on the wound and some of it in his
mouth. His head was swollen to more
than twice its natural size, but in the
evening he was able to walk home,
and few more applications prepared
with milk effected a speedy cure.
Not long after, | had an opportunity
to learn which was the better dog in a
snake fight l had been standing near
a tree while a chopper was cutting it
down, and moving away to give him a
chance at the opposite side | came
near stepping on full-grown yellow
rattler lying in coil. | had with me
a savage bulldog-a little too good for
any thing-always ready to kill any
kind of animal from hog up to a
horse-and desiring to get him out of
the way without actually becoming
his executiOner, | decided to let him
take chances on the common enemy.
| knew the snake would have no show
if he stretched out at full length, but
it was coiled in the best attitude for
defense, with it's head in the center and
it's fiery tongue darting out either
as warning or defiance. Old Bull
took a firm position in front, and after
three cautious movements forward and
backward to measure his exact dis
tance, his teeth snapped together like
the spring of a steel trap, and the
snakes head was crushed. The dog
instantly dropped it, jumping back,
but soon as he saw that his perilous
charge had been successful he grasped
the monstrous reptile by the middle,
and with three savage jerks its body
was literally torn to shreds.
Numerous agencies tend to reduce
the census of the snake tribe. Hogs
destroy and feast upon them, and deer
kill all the rattlers that chance to come
their way. / once saw large buck
performing series of peculiar antics
jumping all-fours upon some object
that appeared offensive to him. Sub
sequent examination revealed the fact
that he had mutils ted the body of
big rattler. When opportunity offered
fired at the buck, inflicting fatal
wound. In pursuit of the deer l
jumped over a good-sized rattler, and
then halted just long enough to dash
a heavy stone upon the snake.
Having captured the venison,
returned to find only the tail of the
serpent and a nice set of rattles. The
next summer, while surveying lands, |
discovered and killed rattlesnake-
minus tail and rattles-not far from
the spot where | had detailed his
snakeship. In this connection it is
proper to remark that d. P. Ray, Jr.,
prominent citizen of Tyrone, on a
certain occasion killed two rattlesnakes,
neither one having any rattles. This
occurred on the mountain and is re-
ported by authority of Mr.. Ray.
At another time stopped at a small
stream, and getting down in back
woods style to indulge in refreshing
drink of cool, sparkling water, |
placed my hand on the opposite bank
for support. Instantly the thrilling
music of a rattler warned me that |
was involuntarily holding down the
cold, clammy coils of the same old,
dangerous enemy. In that situation
the snake could not bite, but l was in
the predicament of not knowing chow
to let 60" Fortunately, my left hand
was free, and reaching for a hunting
knife, which | always carried on such
occasions, l cautiously performed
neat but dangerous surgical operation
by removing the snakes head.-Phtla-
delphia Press.
The Next Naval War.
1t is an open question whether, in
+bo ,ox,+ naval ,uor rpda fanda6 TOWNS