Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-01-03
RODENT SNAKE KILLERS.
Ferocious battle Between NIoccasfn and
a Swarm of Rats.

Swarm of Rats. f.
A Florida man tells of a marvellous
! snake story. He has, it appears, been
greatly troubled with rats and mice, and
| has tried every method to exterminate
them, but to no purpose. He had brought
many cats to the house, but they all ran
OIL, as the rats are too large and fero-
cious for the felines. Poisoned food
seemed only to make the rats fat, and
the gentleman gave it up as bad job.
But now he has changed his mind, and
says that they are better than dog OF
even cats. And this is his story:
They live in lacge one-story house
near the banks of tn river. The gentle.
man and his wife sleep in room at the
back of the house, and young daughter
sleeps in low bed in a room connecting
The other night, about midnight, they
were awakened by a loud and curious
noise in the room. Listening, they
heard the sound of the squeaking OF
| rats and mice, and also of a heavier
| sound like something being thrown on
the floor. mingled with angry hissings,
which to their horror, they recognized
as snakes as soon as they had gotten
| their dazed senses. Mr.. b. hastily rose
in bed but did not dare to step upon the
| floor for fear of stepping upon the SER
pent or whatever it was.
The daughter was aroused also and was
greatly frightened at the uproar. Being
| brave and courageous girl, as soon as
she could comprehend that the sounds
were in an adjoining room, she jumped
| out of bed, and, running to the fire.
place, threw piece of pitch pine on
the smouldering Goals, and then scram-
bled on top of the table. As the
flames leaped UP, illuminating the
room, strange sight was revealed
to their eyes. In the center of
the room was 81 big moccasin snake
| coiled up and striking viciously at its
| opponents, which were seen to be
scores of rats and mice. They would
| run all around the big serpent and
| then, when at its back, spring on it.
give 1t a bite and then skurry off in
| time to avoid its strike. Several lay
| dead on the floor, showing that the
snake had hit some of them. One old
rat seemed to be the leader and he sat
| off to one side. He would utter a queer
squeak and the others would all act as
If obeying his orders. Suddenly the
| snake turned swiftly and struck at this
old fellow as if recognizing him as its
chief enemy. The old rat was too
quick, however, and as the snake
struck at him he retaliated by giving it
a vicious bite back of the neck which
the serpent received with a horribo
hiss and an angry shake of It's head
The others then made q grand rush
upon the reptile, and before it could
recover its coil had it compile tely
covered. The angry rodents bit and
gnawed at the snake, which curled and
thrashed about on the pine floor with q
| noise like unto a fail. The battle con-
| tinued for few minutes, and then the
snake stretched himself out in death
The big rat uttered another squeak, and
in an instant every one of the rats and
mice .scampered off, and. strange to
say. carrying off the dead bodies Of
| those killed.
The spectators to this strange battle
finally found courage to get up and
throw out the snakes lifeless body. Ho
was covered with scores of bites and his
head was almost severed from his body
The gentleman now says that the rats
and mice may stay with him if they will
only continue to guard his property as
we'll as this. Had any of the family
gotten up in the night they would un-
doubtedly have been bitten. as the moe
casin seldom gives any warning of his
presence, but strikes to kill.-Chicagc
Evening Journal.