The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1890-06-18
RATTLERS AS PLAYMATES.
One Snake Playing With Twins and
One in Cradle With Baby.

working in her garden. She left
her baby asleep in its cradle in
the kitchen. The twins were play
ing in the front yard. Having
been at work for some time in the
garden, Mrs. Jones walked around
the house to go in and see if her
baby was all right. AS she came
around one corner of the house
she stopped to watch the other two
children a moment, attracted by
peculiar movements Of theirs,
which seemed to give them great
amusement. They were sitting on
a grass plat, one of them having
in her hand a short stick with
which she was giving occasional
blows on the ground. After each
stroke the children laughed hearts
ly. Now and then one o. them
would bend forward until her face
was nearthe ground, while she strok-
cd something with her hand. Then
the stick would be brought into use
again, and the mirth of ihe little
npag lDa ronorrol
Alter watching and enjoying
their play for some time Mrs.
Jones walked out to where the
Children were sitting. She was
Mortified to discover that the OBJ
ject OF their sport was a large rat
tlestake, The reptile lay at full
length, apparently not displeased
with being made plaything Of,
1t is well known belief among
blackwoods people that rattlesnakes
will not bite children, and many
instances are cited where these
deadly reptiles have shown act,
ual fondness for them. But the
ptesences of a grown person will
throw the snake into a rage. Mrs.
Jones account OF her experience on
this OCCASION aud one that immedi-
ately followed it, certainly seems to
give foundation for the truth of
the possession by the rattlcsnake
of that curious trait. Not knows
ing exactly what to do after her
startling discovery, she cautiously
approached with vague idea Of
snatching her children away from
their deadly plaything. The snake
saw her, and instantly its attitude
changed. With the quickness of
it threw itselfinto the coil
the rattlesnake always assumes pre-
paratory to striking, and set its
rattles going. Mrs. Jones stop
ped and screamed to her children
to come to her. The sudden
change in the manner of the snake
had frightened the children, al :
though the reptile showed no incli>
nation to modest them, and they
instinctively tumbled out of its
way and quickly ran to their moth,
er. Mrs. Jones led them to a dis /
lance and ran for a garden hoe.
She returned and killed the
snake.
After dispatching the snake Mrs.
Jones and the children entered the
house, where the mother sank half
unconscious to the floor, she was so
overcome by the trying experience
she pad passed through. She had
hardly recovered from the effects of
the shock Wien a scream from one
of her children alarmed her. She
struggled to her feet, and saw the
child standing near the cradle. To
her renewed horror, Mrs. Jones saw
another rattlesnake lying cOn-
tentedly 10 the cradle, not six
inches from the baby's face. Mrs.
Jones says she will never know
how she managed to dispose of the
snake, for she had no recollection
of anything after discovering it.
She found herself lying on the
floor by the side of the cradle, all
three other children crying bitter-
ly near her, the baby being in her
arms, and the snake dead at the
door. Her husband came from
his work soon afterward, and was
hims elf so affected on hea, ing his
wife's story and finding the dead
snake that he was unable to 90 to
work again that day. The snakes
were evidently mates. They were
above the average size and had
nine rattles each,
nm, .r.