The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1891-07-17
HIS A
A Georgian Who Does Not Wish to
Pose as Munchausen.

- SSo Ikld wiz OoSo WV u ~
Pose as Munchausen.
There is q citizen of Valdosta who
has had some startling experiences
with poisonous snakes during his life.
He is entirely responsible, does not
like notoriety and seldom talks OF his
adventures with reptiles, because he
fears his recital OF them would not be
believed, and he does not care to figure
as a M~unchausen among snake story
tellers.
Some time ago he was attracted by
the/laughing OF o child who was at
play in the front yard. Looking
through the window he discovered to
his horror that the child was playing
with q great live r~attlesnake, which
sprang it's warning rattle Just as the
| child was rescued from what would
have been certain death.
At another time recently, while wad-
ing in u branch, he stepped on a large
water moccasin, and narrowly escap-
ed being bitten, as he had crushed the
body OF the reptile and aroused it's
wrath. 1t did show fight, however,
chasing him to dry land.
con still another OCCASION" says
this hero of many battles with snakes,
Il had cause to tramp all day with
companions in q swamp, and 1T was
during snake time Of the year. Dur
ing that day | had the misfortune to
step on as many as three live
and wriggling moccasins at different
times, but had the good luck, as usual
to get off without having their poison
Gus fangs struck into my flesh. No
other II of the party had such close
calls. 1t all fel! to my lot.
At another time, while | was push
ing my way through a thick and boggy
swamp, one of my feet broke through
the moss-coevred mud, and it threw
me forward. | caught at a tussock
Just by me, and threw my hand on Il
large moccasin. 1t flinched, but did
not move. | was stuck in the mud.
It's forked tongue flashed in my face.
| could not get up without a struggle,
and | was afraid to make the effort,
fearing that a movement on my part
would bring a strike in the face. / held
my breath, while my hand went to my
belt, and | drew therefrom a pistol.
In an instant | got in the first blow,
and the snakes head went off. A
friend stood on q tussock five feet
away watching the traSedy-in one
act.
Recently l was hunting COWS in the
pine woods. l rode a mule. l was
going at a slow lope. Suddenly the
beast threw its head down with q
snort and plowed the earth with both
fore hoofs in a desperate effort to
take up. went over the horn of the
saddle and astride of the mules neck
and would have pitched overmy head
on the spot had not seized the ami
mails ears, one in each hand, as l
struggled wildly to prevent a fall.
My head and chest went full over his
head, but my grip On the long ears
and my feet locked around its neck
saved me for the time. Thus poised
in q ridiculous attitude, my beast
regained it's footing and then began
backing and slamming me about
against brush and sapling, until l
rolled off on the ground. When l
gained my feet l discovered a large
rattlesnake in a coil under a palmetto
bush, just in front OF the spot, where
the mule made the desperate effort to
stop, and if | had gone over the ami
mails head would have fallen head
formost upon the deadly reptile.
More wonderful to relate, a little
fodder who was burdened with my
name came across a RATHER II day
and picked it up, and went running
around playing with it until an older
brother discovered the child's peril
and ierked it away from the snake"