The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-15
QUEER SOUTHERN SNAKES.
r. EINesNIKE THAT PLAYED pos
SUN WITH a BLICK RACER.

A"-
Her Snake Mate Was Killed Observe
tions OF = Jeinted Snnke-A Sake That
Charmed n Bird-A Rattier's Meal.
1t was odd that they should have happened to
run upon each other In the little restaurant. 1t
was natural enough for ono of them to DO there,
because he often went there for q counter lunch
at noon; but the othor-how he drlfted down
there was one Of those strange happenings that
one is very apt TO lay on an already overbur-
dened Providence. Any way, they were there.
and they we're SO glad to sec each other
that every man at the counter was
made aware Of It. The crowd soon had
the satisfaction OF learning that they had
fought side by side in the Confederate army;
that when the war broke out one had been at
the head OF a successful female college and the
other n young doctor just establishing u country
practice; and pretty soon 1t cropped out that
after the surrender the teacher had drifted here
and engaged in literary work, whilo the doctor
had returned homo and taken up the thread Of
life where he had left off.
but what are you doing here, Jim ~ finally
asked the literary man when they had found
out all about each others family and finances.
ION. Charley he replied, ~ Just came mp to
brush up q little by looking through the hos
pitfalls"
How longs It been since we met. Jim 2"
Don't you remember tho last time. Charley?"
Cant say that / do exactly, but II was not
more than o month after A~ppomattox. was IL 2"
"ThaLs right, Charley. Just q month to q
day. Don't you remember. we met In the big
road not far from o branch? was going to
see o patient, and you were Just starting to
make your way toward the North. l don't see
how you can forget one thing that happened
when we met there. Don't you recollect that
hRht between that blacksnake and that king
snake we watched, Charley Wasn't 1t q royal
battle. though? never saw such pluck, ana l
tell you those two serpents were evenly
matched. One OF the regrets of my life has been
that we killed that kinRsnake after he had
killed the other. He was plucky, and had put
up q good fight. It was u mean thing in u.s."
Its still straight whiskey, | reckon, Jim.
amt It 2' ash ed the literary man, and at a sign
from the doctor he nodded to the waiter and
said: Two instead of one, and mind you /
want the very best to-day"
The men around the counter smiled at this
order. coming in connection with the talk about
their glasses Of whiskey straight, scornfuily
pushing aside the water accompaniment, they
do you know. Jim said the literary man. as
they set down their empty glasses and he held
two fingers up to the waiter, I've forgotten tho
seen so much since the surrender" half apollo
getically. II wish you'd call to my mind how II
was. I've always been sorry. too. that we killed
WHY. it was this way. Charley. You remem-
ber as you sat there on your horse and | on
mine, n blacksnRke about four feet long and "A
kingsnake equally large met. The kingsnake
was going on about his business. for you know
they arc perfectly harmless. and we folks down
there in South Carolina always considered 1t
good luck to have one around. My father used
to dare the - Slaves ,hsS t on nj MS op plap h.ca%s TO irl KIN ~ a
king would kill and eat all the other snakes on
a place. even to r%attlers. Well. as | was saving.
h Z M as .rn ttNp a1Nr.fr NJ rAa "a q la M N
dove, without taking the slightest notice OF US.
when along came u black racer.
and IL was. The blacksnake was Just about to
sail by the king without TO much as looking his
Nay way put thaI ai can. suit shrs ms mith $ PIP b. Just as
a hiss. reared up on his hind legs. so to speak,
and planted his fanes in his enemy. said
IL never saw the day when 1t was as plucky as
that same blacksnake; He just got loose some
size. and struck the king a stunning blow. Tho
battle was fairly on then, and 1t was nip and
tuck for at least a quarter Of an hour.
getting frozzled out. Just about that time.
though, It got its rangs into the neck of the King
each other with their tails. Their eyes looked
like name;fiashing sparks. The kingsnake was
BfissIEs Sst, t aSm u neF so 81 so %s be seeasn1 lh snS Brave sRe
racer crawled painfully OF into some bushes on
the side of the road and lay there almost dead.
The kingsnake lay still In the road"
Yes, l remember now" interrupted the
literary man eagerly. as a smile of light broke
No" resumed the doctor. The blamed
rascal was iusf playin. 'P9ssuim IN Don't You rec.
S,isSs h snd fought si III the ' Siaeisn ~ fss more f iarH ,ne
ly than ever2 We thought the blacksnake
couldn't show any further fight. but it crawled
and finally the kingsnake wrapped itself
choked it until It's ~eyebails almost dropped
from their sockets and its tongue hung out four
or five inches. Then. when It wa, sure that ia
however. and began -"
To eat it, broke in. the other. and that's
it. That was TOO much like lynchin' a niger
and then riddlin' his body with bullets. Even
that blacksnake bowed" he concluded, bold
ing up two fingers for the third time.
Yes: but all the same it's a pity we killed
tina. king, for it's a kings nature to eat it's vic
Tins, and snakes will be snakes, you know"
Jim" said the literary man, did you ever
No" answered the doctor. but I've heard
of'en. don't believe in ,em much"
your lives fall into the way Of disbeiievIn'
everything that you haven't seen. Now | saw q
snake mate or my fathers plantation when
On our T'i place ln esiisd ~r tno az Jerry H,s n'f fis
srss, I taso FnsH %,. +" u. 'a ali. Fey S MS% one s eniid a.
a little girl about four years cid. Up to the age
her 'h me eGGts0p sIwsy ssa, .T Mss ned mama that though ,RsH
N''F
called her Nit for short. was as fat.
nin1y VINO was brought no on plenty Of
denly she. got so she would eat nothing hut
bread broken up In a tin cup Of sweet milk, and
she wouldn't eat this in the house where her
father and mother could see her. Three times
a day Nit had to have that cup OF bread and
milk. and as soon as she got 1t into her little
black hands of she would put toward the field
a. the back OF the house. Every day she grew
thinner and thinner, until her mother was
In despair and declared that the child
looked like II sick ash cat. 1t was true. too.
The family doctor was called in. but could find
nothing wrong with her except that sho
was rapidly wasting away and was strangely
retIcent for a child. Uncle Jerry and his
wife, Amanda. became very indulgrnt to her.
for they thought -he was surely cunjered. One
day just after the dinner horn blew Nit took
her tin cup of bread and milk and went as usual
to he field. crouchin' down in her corner OF the
rail fence. Presently a half dozen pickaninnies
ment at the sight that met their eyes.
",Oh. my Lawdy.' the crowd shr!eked and
off they dashed TO tell Aunt, Mandy an Uncle
Jerry. They rushed into the cabin crying.
Mits got a snake mate! Mit's got a snake
mate! We seed hit wild her. and back they
put to the fence corner.
"'I knob hit! | knob hit. shrieked Aunt
Amanda. waddlinR as fast as her fat would let