The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-11


The body bent sideways, but otherwise
was as rigid as stick Of wood The
professor carefully turned II over 70 cx-
anime the bright yellow belly.
Its glass snake. he whispered, IN
an ecstasy 81 delight "The first live
one ! have ever handled"
but il Is dead now said the other.
The professor chnciSled. Dead,
dead. be replied "Not at all: he win
live many years with the care | will
bcstow upon him. lie Is playing pos
sum. II he had only had time he would
have disjointed himself like a lizard
ard lost the thrce-fonrths 81 himself
until we were out Of sight and hear
ing.
They returned To the rendezvous and
found their two companions fherc. OF
course they laughed nj the professor for
the tender care he took Of his treasure,
and against his vigorous protests laugh
ingly hung the specxlcd beauty on the
branch with the other victims Of the
hunt It was impossible 70 convince
the professor that his little pet was
dead, but at last he consented 70 leave
ii long enough to join us in one more
hunt.
II will 60, he sighed, .shnt half Of
my snake will be gone when return,
and am too old ever toiorc 70 capture
another specimen alive Reluctantly
the old man followed them, frequently
casting glance behind until they
were out of sight Of the moss-coxercd
livc-oak- They did not 20 FIR before
encountcring two or three lazy moe
casins summing their ngly brown bodies
by the side Of the road "IIill themn'
shouted two voices in unison They
were killed.
why not save enc alive?'s' asked
the stranger.
Because # you did, was the reply,
,.the chances are TINT you would gct
bitten in the back Of the lcg when yon
least expected IL. would not trust a
dead moccasin. l have seen one with
its back broken creep up to man and
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 a bright
vcrmilion; its velvet back was striped
with brilliant yellow and dotted with
black. Little white spots covered its
head and gave the appearance Of q
thousand eyes. The professor gave il
long name and declared II was poison
Gus. It was turned oxer to him for safe
keeping, and he was SOON on ainicablc
terms with tho Misunderstanding crca-
tnre, which he declared bit only upon
severe provocation-
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 Of
about eighteen came in sight and said
he had seen snakes.
Just then n large king snake sDs OBJ
served moving in the grass ut the boys
feet, and several men sprang forward,
Don't hit nm, Nasal" exclaimed the
boy. Else brung him out ter catch
rattlesnale. De ole man got de rune
tism, an snake lie is de bess ting in de
world fer UNI. "
Suddenly behind an azalea bush some
yards ahead there WIS heard a sharp,
rafting sound. Like flash tine swift,
black body OF tho king snake darted
forward. There was sound OF com
motion in the bush, and an instant
later the dull brown length Of an enor
ltta
open roadway.
Like streak Of black lightning the
king snake dashed BY and as quickly
turned and brushed across the rattler's
diamond-marked back. His vcnonous
antagonist sprang at his foe, only to
bury his fangs in the earth. Again the
tail shook and rattling broke the
stiffness. The SattlesnalSe cooled his
tail, moving nervously 70 and fro. The
rafting was now continuous. Twice
the king snake moved rapidly ia 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 II to straightcn his
neck, and at that instant the king
snake dashed across the folded coil
Like flash 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 a death
wound upon itself, for it no longer
acted on the defensive, but took the of
fensivc. But the king snake was too
quick for its heavy antagonist and,
gliding out Of the way, waited as
It sprang and waiting then until
the RATHER lay full length on
It's belly after striking. Finally
the king snake sprang upon its enemy,
and twining itself about its massive
body slowly frightened its folds mil
the ratt1esnalsc was powerless in its
muscular hold. Then slowly exertinR
the full force 81 its powerful muscles It
slowly CONSTRUCTED the other. There
was crnnching sound as the body Of
the rattlesnal<e was TORN IN q dozcn
places.
Slowly slaekening its folds the king
snake prepared to swallow its late env
envy head first, but the colored boy was
too quick for it and seized the prize for
the sake Of its oil
It was amusing to see his delight at
finding his glass snake whole and UNI
molested, but his Joy was brief lived,
for Cuifee, the colored youth, stretched
out his hand to stroke its CLASSY coat,
when two-thirds of the snake fell to the
ground. It had parted evenly. Four
diaphragmS seemed to divide the body,
At these places the vertcbrn were So