The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-28
RArTLERs AS PLAYMArEs.
One Snake Playing With Twins and
One in a Cradle With a Baby.

From the Ne,C York Sun.
PINE CREEK, Pa, May 19.-Mrs. Cyrus
Jones Of Leidy has three children-twins
aged years and a baby months old. One
day last week Mrs. Jones was 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 moment, attracted by peculiar
movements of theirs, which seemed to give
them great amusement. They were sitting
on grass plat, one of them naving IN her
hand a short stick with which she was
giving occasional blows on the ground.
After each stroke the children would laugh
heartily. Now and then one of them would
bend forward until her face was near the
ground. while she stroked something with
her hand. Then the stick would be brought
into use again, and the mirth of the little
ones be renewed. -.
After 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 object of their
sport was a large rattlesnake. The reptile
lay at full length, apparently not displeased
with being made plaything of. 1t is
well-known belief among backwoods peo-
pie that rattlesnakes will not bite children,
and many instances are cited where these
deadly reptiles have shown actual fondness
Tor them. But the presence of a grown
person will throw the snake into a rage
Mrs. Jones' account of her experience on
this occasion and one that Immediately fol-
lowed it certainly seems to give foundation
for the truth of the possession by the
rattlesnake of that curious trait. Not
showing knowing exactly what to do
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 lightning it threw
itself into the coil the rattlesnake always
assumes preparatory to striking, and set its
rattles going. Mrs. Jones stopped and
screamed to her children to come to her.
The sudden change in the manner of the
snake had frightened the children, although
the reptile showed no inclination to modest
them, and they instinctively tumbled out of
its way and quickly ran to their mother
Mrs. Jones led them to a distance and ran
for her garden hoe She returned and
killed the snake
After dispatching the snake Mrs Jones
and the children entered the house, where
floor, she was SO overcome by the trying ex-
perience she had passed through. She had
hardly recovered from the effects Of the
shock when scream from one of her child
rem alarmed her. She staggered to her feet,
and saw the child standing near the cradle.
To her renewed horror, Mrs. Jones saw
another rattlesnake lying contentedly in
the cradle. not six inches from the sleeping
baby's face. Mrs. Jones says she will never
know how she MANAGED tn disnosa of
that 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 of her children crying
bitterly near her, the baby being in her
arms, and the snake dead near the door,
Her husband came from his work soon after
ward, and was himself so affected on hear
ing his wife's story and finding the dead
snakes that he was unable to go to work
again that day. The snakes were evidently
mates. They were above the average size,
and had nine rattles each.