Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-05-30

VI udSC lul WIN ouS Ol
them had struck the snake with his
sharp bill ana the diamond back had
promptly coiled himself in defensive
attitude and was springing his rattle
wiclsedly.
Zone OF the birds remained near the
snake jumping about and making
great show of hostility. but keeping
beyond reach all the time, while the
other gathered little punches of dry
cactus with spines as sharp as needles
and almost as hard, which he dropped
close to the reptile. The road runner
was as busy as the devil in gale OF
wind, and in a few minutes he had piled
b regular little corral Of cactus spines
all around the rattlesnake. Then tha
pair OF them began to tantalize the
snake. and by flying at him they pro-
voked him into striking at them,
with results disastrous to himself. for
every time he launched out he lit into
the cactus and got stuck full of spines.
Tho more he got hurt the rnaddcr
he grew, and it wasn't many minutes
before he was lashing about furiously
and tangling himself up with the cac-
tus. The road runners hoped about
in great glcc, flow ut the snake and
made things hum generally, and occa-
sionally one of them would poke some
more cactus into the reptiles way to
adj to his tribulations. When the rat
tlesnalsc had just about got crazy and
was reckless of his guard the road
runners flew up, hovercd over him and
darted down at him whenever they saw
good chance to hit him.
"Thcir sharp bills did great execu-
ton, and it wasn't long before they had
the rattlesnakc laid out as cold as a
wedge. They are great generals, these
road lunners. and they always get
away with the rattlesnake. That's
why nobody ever shoots road runner
In California.
"Somc of the lizards are funny littlo
chaps, and when you get used to them
and forget their rcptilian appearance
they are pretty good company. Tho
little fellows about as long as your
finger can be tanned easily, and there is
no end Of fun in watching their antics.
The Greasers declare that these lizards
arc vcnonous. but that isn't true. Let
grcascr tell you it, and everything
that crawls is poisonous. If you can
once get your hands upon lizard with
out frightening him he instantly makes
friends with YOU
'Thc way TO work it is to move your
hand slowly toward the little animal
when he is lying motto 1tcss, and touch
him as lightly us breath with the tip
of your finger. Nine times out of ten
he will not be there long enough for
you to know that you have touched
him He is as quick as fash Of light,
and you can't see him go-yon only
know that he is gone. But one time he
will let yon touch him. if you arc gentle
li,r1,f ,.,,l, l, ic
back and he begins tc wriggle his tail
! in delight.
after that he is your friend, and
will take flies from tho end of your
finger, run around over your clothing
and explore your pockets, ard when
you eat he will climb upon your leg,
cock his little head on enc side, and
watch you with friendly interest,
There is Il little lizard no bigger around
than Il lead pencil, with a long, slim
tail rs blue as cobalt aud smooth as
enamel. You can't tame him very
easily. and if you try to catch him the
blue tail breaks off like glass, and re-
mains in your hand.
There are other creatures not quite
50 'clubu bic as lizards aud road run
ncrs, but interesting in other ways,
Take the scorpion, for example. Hes
| 4 bad fellow, and he has Il mean trick
Of hiding in your boots and stinginS
you when you put them on But you
| can have fun with him after fashion.
If you want to bring ont the best quail
itcs Of the scorpion build 4 little corral
of dry leaves or paper around him and
! set fire to it at all points. Make the
circle about foot in diameter so that
the flames will not touch your prisoner.
when he secs the ring of fire the
! scorpion will try to escape. first at one
point and then at another, but the
flames will drive him back every time,
and when he realizes that he is com
plctely surrounded he will retreat tc
the center of the ring and deliberately
commit suicide by curling his tail over
| and singing himself in the back. So
you see that nature sanctions suicide
under some circumstances in spite OF
what the preachers say about it. The
scorpion teaches lesson that man
had better remember if he ever finds
himself in the center of Il gang OF
Apaches. San Francisco Examiner
THE IRRITATING MAN.