The Press., 1892-07-28
AN OLD CONTRIBUTOR
Serves up to the Readers of The Press a fe
 Snake Stories.

The summer that was nine years Old l stayed few weeks with a man named Haskell, who lived two miles north of Norwich Town. Snakes were plenty in that region. MT. H. had two large pas lures, divided by stone wall. He kept % COWS, and had let the wall down in one place to permit them to go from one lot to the other. He also let his horse run there. He told me one day to take the halter and bring the horse home. When I reached the gape of that wall I found there the first ripe whortleberries I had seen. I got upon a stone to pick some. A black snake ran out and stopped in the COW path. I went to the wall and took a stone in each hand, and going back got upon the stone again, but the snake had gone After a moment looked down to my bare feet to see if there was danger threatening, and there was the snake, its head not more than one inch from my heel. I stepped quickly aside, when the snake dropped his head down on the ground. trembled as poised the stone with the thought-if I did no1 hit 1t with the stone, what then? I threw one stone and missed! I was more afraid than ever, and trembled like 8 poplar leaf in the fall of the year, for I thought that, if did not hit next time, was gone case. Well, did not; the stones lay near it's head, and dare not pick them up. The snake did not move. The only weapon had then was the leather halter. Thought I would drive the snake away, so I could get out of the brush. went to whipping it with the halter, but the snake would not go, but soon began to dart at me. But at last whipped the life out of it, and then I breathed again. I took the dead snake out to where the men were. Haskell said it was six feet long, and a racer. It was white around the neck. Haskell said that if had run they would have heard music from me. After that was more afraid of snakes than ever until was older.
 | went to Rhode Island when was + years old, and at show there saw a va riety of snakes, among the rest black and told us all about it. I took my first lesson. I thought if I could do that would pay the snakes for soaring me when I was in Norwich. The first chance had tried it. did as the man said I and found that he was right. I could handle them.
 Soon after that I went to work for ont Smith, who had four men in his employ one being named Mory. Mory was boss when Smith was gone, and one day, wheI I we were having one-half mile from thu house, Mory said there was spring in [ lot below, and if could find it to bring some water. I found the spring, and { snake, too. 1 took the pail in one hant and the snake in the other. Mory tool the pail and asked me where I killed thu snake. I said that it was alive. He sait I was a liar. The other men also sait that it was alive. Mory said that h. would not believe it was alive unless h. saw it go. Iputit down, and it did go in | hurry, and Mory ran after it and killed i with his hoe, then swore at me. Smitl said he would settle with me, for he diC not hire me to catch snakes to scare hi men out of the lot. This was goot thing for me, for found better plac the next day.
 In 1870 bought a wood-lot near Tap pan, village not far from the Hudson river. I hired house on the edge of tn village, and employed fifteen choppers ol the lot. I caught snake. I found tn men were just as afraid of snakes as the were in Rhode Island. They called me snake charmer. One young man, name Edwards, who drove my teams, was muc afraid of snakes. He lived three mile away, and went home on Saturday nights A river ran through the valley near hi house, in the banks of which muskrat burrowed. Edwards had two box trap which he some times set to catch the rats One Saturday night he had set one, an the other was in the basement. He ask ed me if would kill it if he happened t catch one. I said yes, and Sunday morn ing he had one, which killed and left i the trap, putting the trap into the base ment.
 It was very warm day for April. took walk to the wood-lot, where sa, big snake. took it home and put it i the other trap in the basement. In tn morning my wife told Edwards that theI was rat for him. He said he had n time to skin it then, but when he cam out where was advised him to skin tn rat, as it had been dead so long. H went in, but quickly rushed out, makin more noise than ever heard him before Then my wife came out, shut the doo and said, "Come, the snake has got away. went in, and, sure enough, the snak had full possession of the house. Ever thing was outside that could get out.
 put the pet, as they called it, in a barre put wire screen over it, and left it in tE wood-house. Then I heard Edward story. He had put his hand into tf wrong trap, and, instead of dead rat, | had grasped living snake, which coile around his hand. He shook it off.
 The story went over the village that had purposely played trick upon m teamster, but I denied this, having p' the snake there with no thought of E' wards making a mistake in the trap He was too good man to deserve such trick as that. But we did not hear tf last of it for long time, poor Edwart being joked by everybody.
 kept the ''pet'' for ten days, in whie time it neither ate nor drank, though gave it frogs and such. things as snak, live on. Then let it go, having tt many callers to see it.
 l know there are many of my friends