St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-11-19

II can travel away Just as good . snake
as Il ever was"
There either was not ten dollars
among the visitors. or any one of them
who had the amount was afraid to take
the bet, for it was not taken
''I'll bet you two dollars" said one OF
the party.
mo. sir-' said Farmer Ansley. II
don't put any of my snakes to the
strain Of that operation for less than
ten dollars
So the men came away. They were
from Roulette, and when they arrived
home aud told the story Of Farmer
Ansley'~ bet they were glad he hadA't
taken him up on the two-dollar bet
they offered to make, for Dan Hanley
told them something that convinced
them that il Farmer Ansley had taken
them mp he would have won the stake.
Dan Hsnley is the village blacksmith.
He is well-tO-do citizen, and his word
has never been questioned in the COM
munity-at least il never had been up
to that time. II it has suffered any
since then the fact is due entirely = the
queer things.
There is NO doubt that the rattle
snake could have done just what Farm.
er Anslcy offered to bet it could" said
blacksmith IIauley. Il know it from
what have seen myself was sitting
on my stoop one day. when one of these
common garter snakes came out of the
grass on to the walk. had . hoe in
my hand and got up and whacked the
snake in two with ii. The part with
the tail on squirmed about . good bit,
but the part that had the head on
wrigglcd away IS lively Is could be
and hid under board I sat there
awhile, somewhat surprised 1t what I
had seen, and by and by saw the
head Of the snake peek out from under
the board Pretty soon the snake came
boldly out and made its way with that
part OF its body to where the other
half lay. 1t backed itself up against
the severed end Of the other part.
pressed the two ends together and
then bent its head back to the place of
separation, and with its mouth and
tongue covered the wound with q Shiny
substance all around about the severed
spot. 1t plastered itself in this way
for a minute or more, then straight
ened out and lay quiet for some time.
Then the snake started away. appar-
emily as whole and firm as it was be-
fore chopped the hoe through. it, and
disappeared in the grass ard bushes.
Another time I came across snake
that had been cut in two or squashed
in tvo by something. I don't know
what Now that snake had b:cn hurt
IN such = way that it was liable TO
turn itself and perform the surgical
operation ! had seen the garter snake
perform; but another snake was there,
and was trying to do the act for the
severed snake. The well snake worked
with will, trying to join the two
parts of the other one by plastering the
wound with its mouth and tongue. The
effort was . failure, though, and after
awhile the good Samaritan srake gave
up the attempt and went away. have
witness to the garter snakes mend
ing Of itself, and ] will 60 with any
one and make affidavit to both of these
queer snake dcings- Tbs snakes
weren't rattlers. of course; hut If COM
mon, everyday, no-account snakes arc
able to doctor themselves up in this
way, how can anyone dare to doubt
that wide-awalxc, gifted snake like
rattlesnalxe can do it?''
And there the subject rests at pres
cnt. But the party who visited Farmer
Anslcy are congratulating themselves
that there arc two dollars more in
Roulette than there would have been
il the farmer had taken the bet, and
shuddcring to think that there might
have been ten dollars less in town il
they had taken the farmers bet
Roulette (Pa.) Cor. n. Y. Sun.