The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-06-27
EARLY SPRING SNAKE STORY.
The Remarkable achievements of a Farm
Hand In Getting BIt.

Ing hednurRaDIc AcnIeYemeDtB of a Farm
Hand in Getting Bit.
When the editor of the crank depart-
ment looked up from his desk to recog-
nize mis- visitor he failed al first in recoe-
milton, but after "A minute it came to him
all right.
"How are you?' he said, heartily.
Whats the good word from Loudoun.
and what the mischief have you done
with your whiskersY'
Moved EN-" smiled the visitor.
"Spring's about got here and l didn't
need EN-. But haven't got any time to
waste. come in on my way to the
train to teil you of Il queer snake story
up u way"
Isn't it a little carly for snake
stories?' suggested the editor.
Yes, for this years crop, but this one
is a last years one, that / just found
out about yesterday
Then it must be true. Goahead with
1T. Take a chair, wont your
No., I'll stand, SOS to lie ready TO
start when I've finished. You soc last
year had n hired hand on the farm that
L never seen till The day he asked for
work needed Il hand purity bad. and !
o him right in without Il word ex-
cept to tell him hat if he got drunk I'd
turn him off. He said he wasn't q
drinking man and lie went right To
work in the hay field. lie wasn't the
best worker | ever hired, but he was
steady and we got along ali right tn the
fourth day he was with me. That day
l was in the barn, and heard q veil. and
L run to the door and seen my hired man
flying around the field AZ IL the old scr
pent himself was after him. When he
seen me he headed my way, andasE lie
went past me | could sec u short
stumpy, notified snake hanging 10 his
leg at the ankle. He flew around the
barn, yelling at every jump, and I took
after him and caught him in Il cIump of
about 200 yards from the barn.
where he had dropped, plumb tuckcred
out. When | got to him the snake was
but the marks of teeth were on his
leg, and L hustled to the house and got q
quart bottle of liquor keep for snake
and other household
md soon had him loaded down to tic
He was sober by next morning
md all right, and the day after he went
to work again. He stayed with me n
month after that and then left " hen
no work for him, and in the four or
I've weeks l had him that snake caught
lim that same way six times, and TO
ave our necks we could never find the
make. Sometimes il would nab him by
he hand when he was worLin' in the
weeds. and sometimes it would catch 4
i'm in one place and sometimes in an
ther, but it would always hang on and I
lie would run and yell and me after him.
NOW for the queer part" said the Wis
taking a final squirt. The other
ay l was grubbin' out that clump of
ushes and, by hockey, / seen n snake,
nd before it could move / stuck my
hoe through it and dragged
out, and durn my buttons, come TO
at 1T, it wasn't nothin' but a rag
painted. 1 carried it, up to the
ouse and as soon as my boy seen it he y
hooPed, and said it was the same
that had been feedin' on nv hired
an all last harvest, and / reckon the
Oy was right"
The editor gave the visitor a gentle
iw haw.
That all right said the visitor, r.,
owing away, "just let that chap try to III
t work with me this year; IL he don't
Ish that that was a genuine copper
'ad, then | amt no Judge of what I'll
TO hlm.-Washington Star.