Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1889-09-05
TIE MAJORS SNAKE STORY.

II tnCTc Is apytiiur III ihc Wo'u =
bate and fear it is a ratllesnakc, and you
,an imagine those skins cave me the
horrors. But that wasn't all. While :,
we were sitting around waiting for supper
l heard a sort Of commotion at the back
part of the house, and the old lady called
out: There, John, the's one OF 'em.
"'One Of what?' asked.
az reckon hits or rattler, he an-
swered, raising slowly and stretching
himself. He took hoe, went out into
the kitchen arrangement, and with one
gentle tap, as if he was cutting n weed,
he killed what proved to be an extra large
rattlesnake.
"Hit's a good one was johns only
comment. He skinned the reptile aud
stretched the skin on the wall.
you can Imagine the subject Of my
dreams that night. l dreamed Of snakes
of all sizes, co.ors and conditions.
"In my dreams | fought myriades OF
them, and so when the reality came l
was prepared.
"Some time during the night, I don't
know lust what time it was, l was awak
ened by Il terrible singing sensation in
my foot. knew in a minute it was
ra,tlesnake bite, aud my yels for help
brought the whole faulty to my side.
"'For Gods sake,' l pleaded, bring
me something-give me something, A
rattler's bitten me-
"Thcy all seemed dazed-didn't know
what to do. begged for some whiskey,
but they had none. I thought Of my
own flask, which usually had filled with
snake-bitc medicine; but Jchn investi,
gated and found that empty. Then l
remembered that down in tho village
they had been passing around a lot OF
this white mountain dew, and l had
given them my bottle out Of pity.
"Well, here l was, on the top of that
mountain, at the dead OF night, facius
4. what seemed certain death, and not {
chance for escape. I begged them t.
!. send for doctor. The nearest docto
was at G,llisyille, and
"Hain't got no critters was tho re
sponse got to my beseechings.
a "'For Gods sake send for somebody,
l cried, Low almost frantic. Send 70
some nciyhbor-somebody that can hel
me-
"The nearest neighbor on any Of til
adjoining mountains was four day
. journey off. The only critters they ha
about that shanty were the little s,ccl
who had taken twelve hours to briug I
from the town-and there l was.
begged ands beseeched them to help N
l. John bound the foot tight, and l tried
get him to suck the poison out
e. "'Let me look at the foot John sal
after be had yawnsd two or three time
v and had made up my mind to kill hi
ior it il l ever got out oi that scrapc Z
right. He took the candle, which W
furnishing all the light We had, .,
Ts n gazed intensely at my foot.
"'Mister,' he drow!ed, i dot
reckon tha.'ll hurt you much. I
didn't break the skin.
"Sure enough, there was no evidcu
Of the skin having been broken, thou
there was something like slight brui
:, Tho legs didn't swell, 50 concluded t
poison hadn't penetrated the system, al
}. after a while, persuaded myself that
wasn't going to die after all. But Il
leg was bound up tight, and you may
sure | determined to sit up all that pig
l succeeded in keeping awake for wi
and assisted John in search for
reptile. But. alter while, that dso,
pad ness peculiar to mountain air came o
sid, NE. and, stretching out on tho bed ags
les I Vas soon 10 the aims o! morphe
'a My dreams were still troubled. ! cav
10y. many snakes as sume men do when d
,.so % are awake, aud the horrible sensation
!. 4 had just experienced added to tho horl
ton.
ifsa Of the dream. was right in the nj
!" Of soul narrowing experience, whs.
telt that horrible stiDg agaiE. This 4
- !. was The other leg, near the an
Ny time had come-I felt suie Of
and know the people there incli
- strongly to my opinion. Ny yelis '
,k, enough to wake the lead. The old |
and old woman came hurrying 10,
John came scfamb!ins in alter ID
They brought light and sr,o emo
w the skin had been broken and the b
was trickliDg down.
"You vosdsr that I am aerc to
the steryf So do /. I begged thel
'As send for doctor, but met with the .
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