Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-12-02

along his body like the garter snake,
but with q white band about its neck, lay
coiled, the boy ran away as fast as his
legs would carry him. Probably the
boy thought not That night he de-
termined to release his snakes next day
and give I'D his scheme to fit himself for
life in museum. But the next morning
his uncle proposed a weeks visit to
beautiful sheet of water not many miles
from his home that is almost alive with
fish This delighted the boy and he
told his friend, the farm hand, about it.
"Wall, said the latter, that there lake
is a fine place to go a-hshing. But L
s'pose a young fellow with your tastes
will be better pleased with the snakes.
There's all kinds around there"
The second day of the boys stay at
the lake he begged off from going fishing
with his uncle and went on walk with
boy of the neighborhood 70 look for
snakes.
1--WE want to have some big clubs in
our hands," said the boys new friend,
as they walked along the narrow coun-
try road, ''for we may find both rattlers
and copperheads, besides big black
! snakes. Copperheads are the worst, for
they don't warn fellow and when
you're bit by one you die sure. | expect
you want to see one pretty bad,
he continued, as they trudged along,
'hut | don't. L"
Then he stood stock still. his gaze fixed
on a point in the path just ahead of
them. His eyes looked like glass beads
and on his face there was an expression
that made the shivers run up the city
boys back. Sure enough. there was a
genuine copperhead, stretched out in the
warm sunlight just ahead.
"Give it to him. said the country boy
whacking the SLEEPING two or three feet
of venom with his club. 1t was fortu-
nate for the boys that the snake was
asleep, for when a copperhead is awake
he is rather lively foe, and as it was,
he made a good fight.
''Pheugh," said the city boy, shifting
the air after the fight was over, what
q smell"
''Yes,'' was the reply. "a dead copper
head does smell bad, but that isn't the
worst OF it. 1t generally has mate
and We don't want to meet this ones.
Let's get out of here. Now if it was a
RATHER"
Again he stopped short, but this time
the city boy was equally on his guard,
for at the museum he had heard the
same sharp sound that now assailed
his ear. Not two yards away, all coiled
for a strike, on top of rock about level
with the two boys eyes, was a mon
strOus big RATHER. This snake was killed,
also, though the task was not an easy
one and both boys were tired and nery-
Gus and quite ready to get away when it
was done.
! 1t was about a mile back to the lake
and part of their way lay along Il mar
row road through thick woods full Of
underbrush Before they had got of the
woods they saw another copperhead and
! two enormous black snakes, all of which
! they allowed to escape quite unmolested.
| But in front Of q farmhouse not far
! from the hotel where the city boy was
! staying with his uncle, they were
obliged to do battle again.
Standing on the long grass they saw
a little child with hands outstretched and
! lips parted. AT the same time they heard
! the shrill and distinct warning of a rat
| tlesnake coiled just in front of the child
| boys killed quickly and ss they be-
] lieved in Gust the nick of time" They