Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-04-05

angry rattling and a quick disappear
ance of many, but they subsided and
all came back as I resumed. I gave
them airs from the Bohemian. Girl,
varied with the Devils Dream,
AIRS. McLeod's Reel and The Girl
Left behind Me, and they readily re-
sponded with their swaying heads to
the different time; but the tune that
seemed to please them most was the
Swanee River, and one big fellow in
particular, on whom counted twelve
rattles, got so excited that his leans
and twists had brought him within
few feet of whore sat. Then he sud-
denly quieted down and his head Just
barely came down above his coil,
Y hile his tail slowly ratified in time
with the music.
Then caught his gaze and, boys,
was fairly fascinated by the look
saw there. / believe this talk OF
snakes charming people to be all
fancy, but in the eyes of this rattle
that was fastened on mine, there was
such wicked, cold, devilish, fiendish
stare that fairly shivered, and moved
my hand around to get my pistol to
| take shot at him. 1 was sitting up
| now with my back almost touching a
AAhSO VI 1OCh5. sun
my harp in my left hand was on the
point of pulling my gun from the
scabbard when low, intense voice, a
few yards behind me, said:
Don't move, Jim, for Gods sake.
aud keep, on playing. There's big
rattler within six inches of your neck
and another close to your hand. Keen
on playing until the boys come up. I'm
all alone and can't help YOU
knew the voice to be that OF my
boss, Wallace, and from its tones /
was in great danger, and for mo-
ment faltered, and In that moment
could feel the cold body of the snake
as it came in contact with my hand;
but, although 1 felt like yelling and
jumping up, knew that would mean
death, for quicker than any living
thing, excepting the cat, is the move
ment of rattIesnake as IL strikes.
So sat still and kept on playing
the 'Swanee River, whore heartily
wished was. Every few seconds
they seemed years to me Wallace
would whisper, Keep up your nerve,
old man, the boys are almost here.
There's lots of whiskey in camp il
you're bitten. Don't stop playing, or
you're goner. and other cheerful
words, at which, serious as the occas-
ion was, L almost felt like laughing,
so wrought up was 1.
Still 1 kept up the 'Swanee River
My tongue got dry and my lips al
most refused to shape the notes. On
kept until the Swanee River hnd
run into perfect muddle OF extern.
porizing, the like of which had no one
over heard before from mouth organ.
tried to get back into some air L
knew, but although knew my life
depended upon keeping the snakes
quiet by the music, L could not remem-
Der a single thing, and reached the
state when all could bring out of the
harp was the noise made as L drew
and repelled my breath.
AS the terrible discord reached
the snakes change came over them.
and 1 could see my big enemy in
-ront preparing to strike, and heard
the one at my hand rattle ominously.
when low Now boys, aud dearen-
ing report behind me came, aud saw
the big one in front part company
18th his head, and then.I tainted, and
knew nothing moro till felt some
thing red hot going down my throat,
2nd came to to find my head sup
ported on Wallace's knee, and one of
the boys pouring whiskey into me out
of pint cup, while the bodies of a
half dozen snakes lay wriggling close
by.
The fellow by my hand had bitten
me. but as drank about three .pints
of ranch whiskey, tho two poisons had
a fight for it, and whiskey came out
ahead. 1 was sick for a couple OF
days, but felt no other bad effects
from tho bite. Here it is on my thumb.
have never tried to charm any more
rattlesnakes, and the sound of the
'Swanee River gives one the horrors. +"