The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-12-28

Astounded at the Deed.
81 was once ON cunning trip during
the month of August in the hammocks
along the lower ST. Johns river. Icame
TO hotel ON the river bank that was
keeping open for the little business
brought to it by the river traffic. Back
Of the hotel was fringe Of pines, and
beyond the pines was reach Of barren
country covered with a growth of blue
palmetto and gallberry.
"Among the persons staying at the
hotel were two young men whose in
terest in the region centered in those
things which pertained to natural his
tory. Both were well dressed Their
hands were white and smooth. In town
they might have been taken for bank
tellers. One morning, before the sun
had taken the chill out Of the air. one
Of these guests. in a pair of rather gen
teel top boots, wandered for a consider
able distance through the low palmetto
scrub. In his path he found rattle
snake twice as long as the orange wood
stick with which he walked.
1.-The chill of the night air was still
in the marrow of the reptile, and it was
an easy matter for the young naturalist
to clutch the snake just back Of his jaws
and hold him in firm grasp with the
thumb and circling forefnger Of the
right hand. Carefully lifting the body
of the snake with the left hand the nat
uralist started for the hotel with his
greatly valued prize, carrying his orange
wood cane under his left arm.
There is nothing else that so warns
the cookies of a rattlesnake's heart as
the vertical rays of the sun. and before
the young naturalist had made half the
Journey to the hotel, the captive snake
had managed, unobserved, TO twist his
tail about his captor's thigh. Thus an
chored, he gave an ablebodied pull,
which was the naturalist's first intima-
ton that the snake was putting off his
sluggishness. With bis left hand the
man was about TO unwind the coil from
his thigh, but he found that if he let &c
the snake at its middle the muscle OF
the reptile would be too much for the
right hand grasp at its throat, which
was the only safeguard against stroke
from its deadly fangs. So he frightened
his grasp upon the neck and quickenet
his pace toward the hotel
1.-THE sun mounted toward the zenitl
and his rays became warmer. The,
gave strength and quiclness TO the cap
tive reptile. Instead Of a steady draw
from the Tightening coil around tn
mans thigh came a series of angr,
writings which severely tested tn
strength in the hands and arms unused
, TO endurance. With each convulsion
change in the tint reflected from tn
monsters scales ran like thrill from
its head to its tail, and then came tn
, warning rattle that nobody has to hea
, a second -timo III order that he ma.
know its meaning The flag on tn
( cupola Of the hotel hung limp in tn
3 hazy distance. The orange wood site
7 had fallen from beneath the arm Of th
e young naturalist. A numbness wa
T. taking possession of the muscles in hi
- arms AMI wrists. He knew what this
p meant. Meanwhile thediamond marke
$ reptile was warming mp for the strul
5 gle. His eyes from pits of molten lea
r had become deep set diamonds. III
o angry writings were fearful to see. Z
$ was venom incarnate.
@ ut was looking exceedingly serious
not to say desperate, for the young ma
@ uralist. Cheerfully would he have pr
aside his enthusiasm in the cause I
s science and cast the reptile from hin
O but that he could not do. The RATHER
=. tail was coiled tightly about his LEI
/. and if the man had loosed his hold upC
D.. the neck and middle Of the reptile j
II fangs would have made their dead
:. mark upon him while yet the coil VI
unbroken. His life depended upon h
Y reaching the hotel before the streng
d in his arms gave out, and how mu'
r strength he had left he knew not, +
|. the numbness in them had driven o
t. the sense of feeling. Again he quic
Ie ened his pace.
|. at must have seemed an endless jou
le ney to the young naturalist as he hurri
along, his eyes fixed upon the writhil
monster, except when they We're rails
10 IOf an lnSldul 10 kltiuCc AZ lut lag nan
- ing above the hotel; but at last he W
within the grounds. His friend rush
forward from the little group on I
veranda, but turned and ran back VIII
- he saw the look ON the young nat
ralist's face. In moment he appear
r with strong cord and cane, viii
he had caught up in the hallwa
ge While he was tying slip moose in
." cord neither Of the men spoke, but
a was easy to see that both knew the
was no time to waste.
be LAS the moose was. slipped over
he reptiles head and frightened by mea
Of the cane a convulsion stronger IN
II any that had preceded it drew togetf
the oenumbed hands which held
t. writhing creature, and they yielded
the force that drew them toward
ed coil. which now twice encircled
to mans thigh.
#, . " I've got him, said the man W
held the moose. .--'s' ~ - ~.
ry Z: Well. kindly spatwist his tail
he hands are II triH Ne tireds- said the oth'
It's '-"This service was done quickly, a
ms the two young nathralists went to tn
n rooms with thsir;captiyeza.. 2. f.;..-
is .lss A,no,, q, fi,osa Vvho had stood sr1eos