The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-19
LIVE CARPET RAGS.
A Mother Saw Her Baby Playing
With Copperhead.
Harrisburg Telegraph.

For some reason 1t has always been the gen.
eral belief among the people who live in the
mount aims in York, Lancaster aud other coun.
ties where copperhead snakes abound that
this venomous snake will not bite children,
and there are numerous wonderful stories told,
especially in the Wish Mountains, about the
copperhead's lenieney toward children. Out
side OF the mountaineers these stories have
never received any credence, but we'll known
family living on the York County side of the
Susquehauna are ready to accept them here
afteI.
The family consists of Jacob Loan. bis wife
and two children, the youngest a little girl 3
years old. CopperheadS are always uncom-
fortably plentiful in that locality, but this sea
son they have been more numerous than usual.
The haylng and harvest hands have killed from
three 10 ten d day during the asst week on the
Loan farm.
. One day last week the little three yea old
was playing IN the front yard, and her mother
noticed her sitting 10 the grass near the front
gate. Every now aud then she would be heard
laughing gleefully, and Mrs. Loan finally
walked out To see what was amusing the child
so much When the little girl saw her mother
coming she called out TO ner:
Come, mamma, and see the live carpet
rags!"
At the same time she held I'D 70 her mother
snake, which she grasped In the middle Of the
body, ard which twisted snd squiimed In the
air. Mrs. Loan saw at vpce that nc was a COP
perhead. Although she Was almost swooning
with terror the chid's mother acted with rare
presence OF mind. IL occurred To her that If
she showed her alarm by crying out To the child
the latter would undoubtedly become fright
ened, and the change that would naturally fol-
low IN her handling or sudden dropping of the
snake might anger the coppernead and cause IL
10 bite. with a great effort Mrs. Loan said,
quietly and c0axnglv:
fetch 1t TO mamma dear. Don't hurt It,"
but there's TWO of 'em, mamma" replied
the little girl. IN fetch 'em both"
She reached down and picked up another
copperhead that lay in the grass and which
Mrs. Loan had not seen ana came toddng
along the path toward her mother with ;nem.
She retained her calmness, and when The culd
was within couple of yards of her spoke to
her aud said:
''Put them on the ground. darling, and let
mamma see them walk"
This seemed to please the child, and she
placed the copperheads In the path The TWO
SNAKES caught sight OF Mrs. Loan. ana in
siantly their manner changed. The copper
spot on The top OF their heads began to deepen
10 Color as It does when this snake is enraged,
ana tley bolh made toward the child's mother
showing great rage. Inc little girl clapped
her hands and started 10 catch the snakes
again. Her mother rushed ont of the path aud
around the snakes, and snatching the cnlio up
IN ner arms flew To the house ana INTO IL,
closed tile dooy behind her and Tell 10 the
moor In dead faint. The other child, a boy
years old was In another room making KITE.
He heard the noise OF his mothers fal and his
little sister crying aud ran into the ROOM His
father WAS at work near the house. and the
boy quickly summoned him. Ii was some time
before the farmer succeeded IN restoring MS
wife to consciousness ana learned the Cause OF
her Swoonng.
Farmer Loan went into the yard. and The
copperheads were still there aud still IN bel
lieerent mood. They were soon killed So
great was the shock TO Mrs. Loan that she Is
still confined to her bed, ana the little girl
mourned for her deadly paythings for TWO or
three days.