The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-06

long and narrow and the eyes closed.
The body bent sideways, but otherwise
was Us rigid as stick 81 wood The
professor carefully turned Il over 10 cx-
anime the bright, yellow belly
FITS a glass snake, he whispered, in
an ecstasy Of delight 1.-THE first live
one have ever handled
"But il Is dead now said the other.
The professor chuckled Dead,
dead, he replied. mot al ali; he will
live many years with the care ! win
bcstow upon him. He IS playing pos
sum II he had only had time he would
have disjointed himself like lizard
and lost the three-fourths 81 himself
until we were ont Of sight and hear
ing
They returned 10 the rendezvous and
found their two companions there. OF
course they laughed at the professor for
the tender care he took ~ his treasure,
and against his vigorous protests laugh
ingly hung the specified beauty on the
branch with the other victims Of the
hunt. 1t was impossible TO convince
the professor that his little pet was
dead, but at last he consented toleave,
1t long enough 10 join as in one more
hunt.
II will 60" he sighed, "but half Of
my snake will be gone when return,
and am too old ever to hope 10 capture
another specimen alive. Reluctantly
the old man followed them. frequently
casting glance behind until they
were out Of sight Of the moss-covered
liye-oak They did not 70 far before
eneountering two or three lazy moe
casins summing their ugly brown bodies
by the side Of the road XIII themt"
shouted two voices in unison. They
were killed.
why not save one alive2" asked
the stranger.
Because II you did" was the reply,
"the chances are that yon, would get
bitten in the back Of the leg when you
least expected it, would not trust a
dead moccasin. have seen one with
its back broken creep up 70 a man ard
try to bite him.
They succeeded In catching several
small snakes Of the garter variety and
any quantity OF grass snakes, which
were very common
One little reptile. some three feet in
length and about as large round as a
mans little finger, was mainly bright
vermilion; its velvet back was striped
with brilliant, yellow and dotted with
black Little white spots covered It's
head aud gave the appearance 81 a
Thousand eyes The professor gave ii
long name and declared 1t was poison
Gus II was turned over To him for safe
keeping, and he was soon on amicable
terms with the misunderstanding crea-
ture, which he declared bit only upon
severe proyocation.
For nearly half an hour no snake
turned up. This was unusual, and the
hunters were about to turn back and
try another road, when a negro boy or
about eighteen came in sight and said
he had seen snakes
Just then large king snake was OBJ
served moving in the grass at the boys
feet, and several men sprang forward.
Don't hit un, Nasal exclaimed the
boy Tse brung him ont ter catch
rattlesnale De ole man got de rune
tistn. an snake lie is de bess ting in de
world fer um."
Suddenly behind an azalea bush some
yards ahead there was heard sharp,
rafting sound. Like flash the swift,
black body Of the king snake darted
forward. There was sound of com
motion in the bush, and an instant
later the duh brown length of an enor,
nous rattiesnake slowly came into the
open roadway.
Like streak of black lightning the
king snake dashed by and is quickly
turned and brushed across the rattlerSs
diamond marked back. Ills yenomous
antagonist sprang at his foe. only to
bury his fanrs in the earth. Again the
tail shook and rafting broke the
stiffness The Yattlegnake coiled his
tail. moving neryouslv 10 and fro. The
rattliny was now continuous. Twice
tile l1lnr snake moved rapidly ia d cir.
Gle about his enemy, who followed its
every movement by merely turning its
head, but at the second round the rat
tier stopped as If to straighten his
neck, and at that instant the king
snake dashed across the folded coil
: Like a fash the rattlesnake struck at
its enemy, but sank its fangs deep into
its own flesh. The angry reptile seemed
to realize that it had inflicted death
wound upon itself, for ii no longer
acted on the defensive, but took The of
fensive. But the king snake was too
quick for its heavy antagonist and,
gliding out Of the way, waited as
il spranE and waiting then until