The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-09-10
A CAT mi A SNAKE.
Valiant Defence of q Canary Bird by
the Family Cat. :

O"S ~ "a #
Mrs. Austin Gibson, OF Titusville,
New Jersey, set q cage containing a
canary on the front porch to give the
bird fresh air. The cage had been on
the porch about hall an hour when a
big copperheaded snake crawled out
from under the steps and stretched
itself out in the sur The canary was
making q good deal of fues about taking
d bath, and it's Tutoring finally at.
tracted the attention of the snake,
which immediately started up the
steps. AS soon as tn, ~copperhead
reached the porch it col ed itself near
the cage, and soon the canary
seemed fascinated and unable to break
away from the snakes g~littering eyes.
In it's helplessness it uttered Ipitiful
little cries.
This business had been going on
several minutes, and the c]opperhead
had crawled nearer the cage until it
was almost in striking distance of the
bird. It's ugly, square head was raised
several inches from the floor and it's
tongue played in and out between it's
jaws. Then Jason, the family cat,
came sauntering around the corner Of
the house in search Of a cool spot to
lie down in. He stopped at the foot of
the steps and gave the side of his face
a wipe with n big paw. He was at
the point Of resuming his walk when
the weak little Chirps of the canary
attracted his attention. Jason and the
bird were firm friends. They had
grown up together, and it was no
unusual thing for the canary to ride
around the sitting-room on the cats
back or eat off the same dish with
him. The instant Jason heard the
birds plaintive cry he surmised some
THING UnS yUpnnO md S,,uo,r ,n a..
steps in the direction of the cage.
When he reached the veranda he
saw the snake and jumped back as If
frightened. The cOpperhead struck at
the bird, but vas unable to roach it
through the bars OF the cage
The evident suffering of its little
friend aroused Jason's dander, and he
began to crawl toward the snake. His
tail twitchcd and he licked his chops
n~ervously. The snake was too intent
on reaching the bird to notice the cat.
Jason crouched q few feet from the
cage and waited for the snake to come
round The copperhead slid around
the cage and when on the side near
the cat raised it's head to strike. AS
1T did so Jason's form arched through
the air n came down on the snakes
body. There was a grOwl or two, q
lew sharp splits mixed with ugly Kisses,
and Jason was away from the snake
with his back bumped up and his tail
like q scrub brush.
The snakes skin had been torn by
the cats claws, but it had received no
serious injury, and, with it's mad up to
the top notch. 1t turned on the cat and
made ready to spring. 1t didn't wait
long before jumping, but when it
landed Jason wasn't there, and before
the copperhead knew what had hap
pened it received a rake across the
back from the cats claws that made it
run for the edge of the veranda, in the
nope, no doubt, of sliding over and
away from it's aSsailant.
But Jason had his fighting clothes on.
and he didn't ropos tibet the snake
should get off so easily. Just as the
coPperhead bega. to slide over the
edge OF the pore Jason grabbed it
by the tail with his teeth and yanked
it back.
Once more tho snake coiled and
showed fight. 1t struck at the cat
again, but the nimbie-footed Jason was
away, and once more raked the scr-
pents body with his claws. Again the
snake attempted to escape, and again
1T was yanked back to the porch by the
cat. This time Jason was q little slow
in getting away, and the copperhead
sank It's fangs in his leg. The pain of
the wound set Jason going at fine
steam, and with n growl he snapped
his teeth together through the snakes
body about three inches below the
The copperhead made an effort
TO break away, but Jason held on, aud
while he chewd the s%erpent's neck he
~lacerated its flesh with HIS claws.
This treatment was too much for
the snake, and it shortly gave I'M tha
ghost. Jason finally let 90 the spake
and went out into the garden and roll
in the dirt. His leg swelled up as big
as a mans arm from the effect OF the
snakes bite, but he chewed catnip and
rolled in the Girt a couple of hours, and
was about as good as new.