West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-12-10
HORROR FOR THE WORLDS FAIR.
Leeve DoIton's CousiR will Attend
Clad In q Suit Made OF Snake
skins.

the Slate as an eccentric collector
and hunter of reptiles, has decided
TO appear at the Worlds Fair dress
ell in snake skihs. Gruber read re-
Gently of man who intended to 90
TO the Fair dressed in the skin OF \
boa constructor, and Grubor decided
TO go him one better.
Rattlesnake Pete" has decided
that it will take 120 rattlesnake
skins to make him a full outfit OF
coat. pants, vest, hat. shoes and
handkerchief of these skins. and he
began laying in supply this sum-
mer. He now has one. half the re
quircd number. and If he does not
succeed in killing the lull quota
before the Fair. he will make a raid
on his pet snakes. of which he has a
shed full.-Mor0anto,Cn Post.
We believe Preston county has
made no arrangements as yet to be
represented at the Worlds Fair and
we may decide to enter "Rattle-
snake 81" Summers against this
cousin of Leeve Dorton's. We do
not know that Isl" and Leeve are
any relation. but we will bet on
81 " every time when it comes to
the "Rattlesnake Industry" He
has made speciality in this line
(not ly;ng) for years, and claims to
have compelled enough rattlers to
shuttle of their coil to make suits
for the whole family with skins and
carpet for the front room besides.
He lives right in the Rattlcsnake
Reservation" aud has nine dens
that he watches regular. in season.
and when he gets lonesome he starts
out with his fail and makes his
round of the dens, and woe be the
unlucky rattler that "SI" a,chcs
out summing himself. He soon
threshes the iattles off Of him and
gets button besides. Several
years ago he had himself vaccinated
with some of the poison out of one
If them, aud so isu't afraid Of their
bites. He generally only saves the
rattles aud buttons. These he sells
aud gives away to curiosity seekers
all over the country. We have
some in our Office which he brought
us this summer. Several years ago
when it was all the rage among the
young people TO have "button
charm " and they collected long
strings Of all kinds Of buttons, Isl, 5"
who WIS much younger then han he
is now, caught the mama and at once
began to save his rattlesnnke but.
tons and soon had "button
charm " that discounted them all.
lf we decide to send him to the
Worlds Far, he will wear this as a
necklace or girdle. "Si" takes
no notice Of any other snake but
the rattler, and during the long
winter months when he cannot get
ont and thrash around among them
and hear the wild music OF their
warning rattle he gets very lone
some, and in order TO pass the time
away, has constructed an instru.
ment something like q Scotch Bag
pipe from the tanned skins OF large
rattlers. The valves are Of rattles,
with button cups. On this unique
instrument he has practiced until
he can produce noise as il all nine
~ those snake dens had com bined
in one and were being stirred up
with long pole. II is exactly the
wild, weird music Of the mountain
rattler IN his native fastness when
disturbed Since IS" " commenced
to play on his q Rattleaphone no
rat or mouse has been seen on the
place, and people who have passed
that way and heard the musicale.
h1d the cold chills and nightmare
Tor weeks afterwards and several Of
them have signed the pledge Isl &"
will take his " Rattleaphone with
him to the Worlds Fair and give
select musicales as may be arranged.
II he goes he will be rugged out in a
full SUIT made from the rattlesnake
skins, with overcoat, cap, gloves
and change Of under-c:othing.
packed in a satchel made Of the
same material also, the whole trim
med with buttons TO match. lie
may also take a snake skin robe
along to sleep on.
This may be regarded as the
wrong time Of the year for snake
stories, but We cannot allow Leeve
Dorton or his cousin, or Hennery
Mrroror offhrr e. t.La a. IL g.