New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20

ewes are small and deep-set. He lives somewhere
amid the crags and blackberry bushes several miles
to the north OF this place, in the neighoorhood OF
Collerstown. Va.
He suddenly appeared here the other morning with
a well fingered and time-worn fiddle sung over his
shoulder and huge kohinoor Of an alum diamond
in his hand said he paid so for his violin ever
so many years ago In Lexington. lie seemed con-
hdent OF the value of the gem, which only stern
necessity compelled him TO sacrifice for ST. and which
the writer bought In the hope Of drawing him out
He said his wife was dead. His nine children were
all married or scattered. lie had never been 10 a
city and was absolutely IMMERSED in knowledge OF
any life but one-that Of tho deep wood. with It's
multitude OF silent creatures Their habits and
language open book to him.
The old man had innumerable little packages Of
rattlesnake rattles stuck into conceivable
ceptace Of his clothing. 1t seemed that the snakes
had come to regard him without anmosity. lie had
acquired an insight into their habits and when he
did them with his WORKOUT eyes ne simply
sat down on a log and beguiied them out Of the
hooks and crannes to his feet lie had no Hndoo
'tomtom" wherewith to charm the snakes, and APP
parently exerted influence upon them other than
that which close sympathy always besets. Doubtless
they had learned to regard him much In the light
OF a sorey overgrown and distorted brother.
The writer across him dewy morning
seated crosswise log with a slx-foot rattler
coied contenedly at his feet Not until the stranger
appeared Oh the did that Pickering tongue pro-
trude those angry eyes glitter. The two seemed
be simply enjoying quiet wood-talk as the claw
like hand Of the man siroked down the diamond
patches the snakes shiny back. iOstetter D.
parently did not think this situation at all OF the
common. lie had known rattlesnakes and black
snakes and moccasns long and so Intimately that
any less of sociablity between him and the reptiles
would have seemed strange to him. so powerful was
his influence over the cOIed serpent his feet that
q little further endearment even rec0nccd the snake
TO the writer's presence at reasonable distance.
When In the woods at night Hostetter always sleeps
by the side OF convenient fallen tree, and II Is no
unusual thing for him 10 wake up in the morning and
find a poisonous reptile slumbering between his legs
the blacksndkes In the mountain meadows actually
coil themselves around the legs of cows and milk
them, and that the cows actually grow fond OF this
unnatural milking and come TO the same spot in the
snake.
Utterng an narculate sound, midway between
sob and groan, Hostetter sent the snake into the
bushes.
Let me see you bring squirrel into your lap.
He sat down on the spreading roots of a pine
tree and gave utterance to a sulducd chorus OF
wood seemed to be filled with the pattering OF
little feet, and the queer old became the
motioness centre Of a cluster OF bushy brown and
gray squirrels They raced up and down his legs
pockets. and only avoided the smoke of his pipe
Again, with a sound half inarticulatc and a half
gesture, he dismissed the nimbe-footed throng
can YOU call the wild turkeys. Hostetter?'
The old man seated himself again with his back
to tree. and tho writer wandered off into the dceD
shadows. Scarcely this done before a familiar
"gObble gobbe' was heard. and then after five
Minutes silence the notes were reDeated ,u,,,,
of wild turkey peered with hanging comb and one
foot lifted Again a "gobble. gobbe" and the
leaves divided and the stately bird strued directly
TO place beside the old nan and stared without
blinking into