Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-11-01
A RATHER IN BED.

Talking about rattlesnakes, said
Jim Conley, ms h eperused the interest
ing snake department of the Globe
Democrat, while sitting in acrowd of
men occupying the outside chairs at
McPherson's corner across the way, n
few days ago, IL was an eyewitness
and an unwilling participant in one
OF the bloodiest encounters with a
rattlesnake recorded in the history
OF Utah territory"
"'Well, what are you waiting for?
Why don't you go on?" asked the
correspondent OF the Globe-Demo-
crat at Hillboro, n. NJ.
"Match, please"
Certainly"
After Conley had lit his cigar he
continued:
"While travelling in that country
between Ogden and Salt Lake City
with another man a good many
years ago we got busted and had
to go TO work at anything we could
get to do. w got a contract from
a Mormon settler on tine road to cut
and haul from the mountains 800
cords of wood. He furnished every
thing and gave us so much for the
Job. The camp at which he set us
down was six miles away, in the
foothills of the range, near where
there were a lot of campers cutting
and hauling railroad ties to the val
ley for the Union Pacific railroad.
W. camped in the yard of manand
his wife, got water out OF the same
spring, and finally became very well
acquainted with them, and indeed
they proved to be mighty fine peo-
pie. Wei. next morning after our
arrival at the camp. Bill and / went
to work chopping down trees and
cutting them into four-foot lengths
ready to haul. Things went on adj
mirably, and we were dong nicely,
when we took a notion one morning
to go down to tho ranch and spend
the day with our employer and his
family. During the day we had par
taken literally OF the hospitalities Mt
the ranchman's house, and became
somewhat 'fuddled,' but not overly
so, and returned home in good shape.
We both felt tired from our walk,
and retired to bed about o o'clock.
l had been asleep, | don't know how
long, when | awoke feeling acoldness
at my back that was not in keeping
with the weather, for it was summer,
and though the days were extremely
hot the nights were cool, but not to
the extent Of the cold sensation at
my back. | began to pull mt the
wagon sheets with which we were
covered, and walked my partner up.
Turning over, Bill in an angry tone,
asked:
"'What's the matter? Got
snakes
mo- l replied, but I am as cold
as Iceland itself, and want some
more cover or / will vucate this bed
and build a fire.
"'Go to sleep and you'll be all
right said Bill, and he turned over
for a comfortable snooze.
But | could not 20 to sleep for
that feeling OF GOODNESS over behind
me, and at last | determined to in
vestigate the cause OF it. Reaching
behind me with my right hand with.
out turning over, ! began to fee
around, tor it felt exactly like an lee,
berg lying up against me, and my
hand soon found it's way under and
through the folds Of the bedding and
brought up against something which
did not feel natural by any means,
and, for the first time, the idea of d
snake being in bed with me entered
my mind. | cautiously withdrew my
hand and arm, moved toward Bill
and let the cover drop down between
me and the object | had felt, anL
crawled out over my bed-fellOw''
body and from under the cover from
the opposite side and left Bill snOoz
ing away. | then called to him Ia
get up and me to see Vitality was
IN the meantime finding acandle and
lighting it. With much grumblina
Bill arose from under the cover ant
began helping me search for the mys
! terry. Turning the cover down, ther,
lay, in a comfortable coil, one of TIN
biggest rattlesnakes ever seen il
Mormondom."
"IAnother match, please
eyes"
| "Well, sir, the serpent didn'tmoye
but lazy as quietly as the coil Of
steamboat cable. Ourconfusion AM
noise had awakened the man and hi
wife in the next tent, and they lIotl
leaped out of bed and came rushing
in to see what was the matter, 70
there were Indians about, and tn
l woman was ready for a scare at an.
time.
"There lay the RATHER, apparentl.
as sound asleep as was Bill n feV
! minutes before. Rushing to tn
woodward / soon returned with Al
AK, and told the crowd to stan
: back and give me room. Everythin.
being clear, | raised the ax above m.
r head and came down on the coil {