Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-10-19


Still had to retire TO such luck as sho
could find.
Mrs. customs pail soon got 80 heavy
with berries that she let it stand on the
ground while she went here and there
with smaller pail which she carried
as 1t was filed TO the big pail and emp
tied It's berries in that She was maxi
ing the fourth trip TO the big pail,
which would have filled IL even full of
the very incest berries that had ever
been picked on the Hill, when other
piclxcrs near heard her give q tremend-
Gus yell, and run away, pale rs sheet
and her eyes bullying. Miss Still and
others ran 10 the spot. The young
woman got there first She discovered
the cause of Mrs. customs alarm. An
enormous rattlcsnake lay coiled on
top OF the huckleberries In the
twelve-quart pail, with his head erect
and his tail more than humming. Miss
Still grabbed club and went for the
snake The first whack OF the club
somehow missed the snake, but II hit
Mrs. customs pail Of berries, upset IT,
and sent its luscious contents scatter
ing on the ground. The snake went
over with the berries, and was ready
for fight In n second. Miss Still gave II 10
him, but In dealing with him she didn't
seem 10 be able TO get away from Mrs.
customs spilled berries, and oven when
the snake got enough of the club and
turned TO wiggle away In the brush
Miss Still didn't appear TO be able TO
follow him, but stood In the midst OF
the spilled berries and danced about,
striking at the snake that was away
l out finer reach, so that by the time the
RATHER disappeared In IA crack in the
rock Mrs. customs berries were tram.
pied to pulp. Some of Mrs customs
friends said that Miss Still did II on
purpose, but Miss Still went OIL smil-
ingly to her picking, and said nothing,
james Common, aged seventy, and
his grandson Charley, aged ten, were
among the huclSlcberry pickers on
the hill. Grandfather Common got
tired, and got in the shadow
of n rock TO take u nap. Grand
son Charley perched on the rock and
went TO observing things After old
Mr.. Connor had been SHOCKING n few
minutes he opened his eyes, raised his
head, and told his grandson that II he
didn't quit punching him IN the back
he would get u switch and dress his
jacket, Grandson Common hadn't been
punching the old man in the back, and
said so. Mr.. Common dropped off TO
sleep again. by and by ho woke up
with start, sternly addressed his grand.
son again, charging the boy with punch.
ing hun In the back, and assuring him
that repetition of IL would bring on
his head dire punishment The boy
pleaded his innocence of the charge,
and the old man went to sleep ngain.
In short time he awole with start
and exclaimed;
There you go again, you young ras-
call Now I'll trounce you we'll"
lie rose up TO carry out his threat,
when the boys eyes, which had become
fixed on the old mans back, began u
bulge, and he shouted:
There's snake on your back
grandpal There's snake on yor baclSl'
Grandfather Connor, feeling a weight
there, had glanced over his shoulder
and saw snake writhing and wrig
Cling and rafting there, hanging u
Connor's clothing by its teeth. With
yell like wild Indian the old mar
broke across lluclSlebcrry hill, bowling
at every jump, and his grandson bring
ing up the rear, believing like n bul
calf. The sight of the old man dashinI
wildly along with big rattlesnals
hanging TO his back created great ex
element among the groups Of picker
that the frantic procession tor
, through, and some groups broke mp IL
I a panic and rushed yelling in all direc
: tions through the bushes Connor raj
/. more than two miles, the snake clinginl
. 70 him, when he passed u man name,
(, Henry Clark. Clark gazed after the fly
:. ing old man with the snake trailing AM
: comforting behind him before he re
(. allied the true situation Of affairs, an
5 then he startSd in pursuit Connor wa
/, going so fast that Clark chased him
Z quarter Of mile before he came u
J, with him, the old man running all th
faster the more Clark yelled 10 him I
stop. When Connor's pursuer got with
In reach OF him he grabbed for tn
snake and caught IL firmly by the tai
lie gave IL yank, and jerked 1t loos
from its fastehings on the old man, bu
! like u flash the RATHER threw its hca
and whole length Of its body back an
struck Mt Clark The latter mechaI
l ically jerlSed his head back, or the RAJ
4 tiers fangs would have struck him l
the cneek. As II was they sank In hi
sleeve at the shoulders, and before tn
! snake could release them Clark seize
Z IL around the neck with his left han
! and held II there until he choked 1t
. death.
Conner in the meantime had droppe
exhausted TO the ground, and II was
long time before he could be revived
T. When the boy came up, painting an
n. crying, and told his story the circun
" stances Of the case were plain. Como
q. had laid down near where the snal'
/, was in hiding, and the rattler, not Ill
y ing the proximity, had struck at hi
y and hit him In the back, but his shil
II was so thick that all the old man fe
Of was the thump, which he thought WI
his grandson punching him. The thir
lt time the snake struck its fangs la
n. caught under one Of Connor's suspend
re err and become fast in II. II was hanl
% ing there when II was discovered /