Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-09-13
THE DUDE HAD GRIT.
BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL FOR THE
SCIENTIFIC GENTLEMAN.

the month OF August III tue ualuoShS
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 a reach of barren
country covered with a growth Of blue
palmetto and gallberry.
"Among the persons staying at the
hotel We're two young men whose in
terest in the region conferred in those
things which pertained to natural his
tory. Both We're well dressed. Their
hands We're white and smooth. In town
they might have been taken for bank
tellers. One morning, before the sun
had taken the chill ont of the air, one
of these guests, in a pair Of rather gen
teel top boots, wandered for 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.
"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 hack Of his jaws
and hold him III d firm grasp with tho
thumb and circling forefinger 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.
IL hot
the cookies of rattlcsnalie'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, unobservct, to twist his
tail about his captor's thigh. Thus an
chored, he gave an ahlebodied pull,
which was the naturalist's first iutima-
ton that the snake was putting off his
sluggishncss. With his left hand the
man was about to unwind the coil from
his thigh, but he found that if he let go
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 u stroke
from its deadly fangs. So he frightened
his grasp upon the neck and quickened
his pace toward the hotel.
1.-The sun mounted toward the zenith
and his rays became warmer. They
gave strength and quickness to the cap
tive reptile Instead Of steady draw
| from the tightening coil around the
mans thigh came Il series Of angry
writings which severely tested the
| strength in the hands and arms unused
| to endurance With each convulsion a
change in the tint reflected from the
monsters scales ran like thrill from
| its head to its tail, and then came the
warning rattle that nobody has to hear
n second timo in order that he may
know its meaning The flag on the
cupola of the hotel hung limp i'll the
hazy distance. The orange wood stick
had fallen from beneath the arm of the
| young naturalist. A numbness was
taking possession of the muscles in his
arms and wrists. He knew what that
meant. Meanwhile thediamond marked
reptile was warming mp for the strug-
| gle. His eyes from pits of molten lead
had become deep set diamonds. His
angry writings We're fearful TO see. He
was venom incarnate.
at was looking exceedingly serious,
not to say desperate, for the young nat
uralist. Cheerfuliy would he have pu;
aside, ibis enthusiasm in the cause OF
science and cast the reptile from him.
but that he could not do The rattler's
tail was coiled tightly about his leg,
and if the man had loosed his hold upon
the neck and middle of the reptile it,
| fangs would have made their deadly
mark upon him while yet the coil was
unbroken. His life depended upon his
reaching the hotel before the strength
in his arms gave ont, and how much
strength he had left no knew not, fol
the numbness in them had driven on,
the sense of feeling. Again he quick
ened his pace.
1T must have seemed an endless jour
ney to the young naturalist as he hurried
along, his eyes fixed upon the writing
monster, except when they were raised
for an instant to glance at the flag hang
ing above the hotel; but at last he was
within the grounds. His friend rushed
forward from the little group on The
veranda, but turned and ran back whei
he saw the look on the yourg natu
ralist's face. In moment he appeared
with a strong cord and cane, which
he had caught mp i'll the hallway
While lie was tying a slip moose in tn,
cord neither Of the men spoke. but i
was easy to see that beth knew Their,
was no time to waste.
''As the moose was slipped over tn,
reptiles head ard frightened by mean!
Of the cane a convulsion stronger thai
any that had preceded il drew together
the benumbed hands which held tn,
writhing creature, and they yielded I,
the force that drew them toward tn,
coil, which now twice encircled tn,
mans thigh.
1--we got him. said the man wht
held the moose.
WELL kindly untwist his tail Ny
hands are trifie tired, said the other
This service was done quickly, ant
the two young naturalists went to theil
rooms with their captive.
Among those who had stood speech
less while these things were going OF
l n - ID