The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-05-29
A SNAKE UNDER HIS SHIRT
An Unpleasant Feature Of sleen,nu
Dat of Doors in Colorado

An Unpleasant feature of Sleeping
Dat of Doors in Colorado.
at was in the San Juan country i.
Colorado, in 1876, that l had an exner'
ence that few. men would be likely to
forget in a lifetime" said j. E. Lantrv
last night in the Office of an uptown
hotel much frequented by western men
~ party of five of us had gone in tbers
to prospect ahead of the rush that wa
knew would come next year. 1t was
one night toward the end of September
that we were in camp in the open air
every man lying rolled up in his blan.
kets, for the nights were getting cold
and frosty. Next to me was a man
named Adams, from Illinois originally
| believe. About the middle of tba
night he woke me by calling my name
"'What's the matter, Bill?' | asked,
"He answered me in most peculiar
tone-it was as if he were trying IN
speak without breathing or moving a
muscle of his body.
"'For Gods sake help me, Lantry,
he said. There's snake crawling IN
under my shirt
81 came up on my elbow and looked at
Adams. The moon was shining bright
w. so that [ could see everything al
most as we'll as if it had been daylight,
Adams was lying on his back as still
as "a stone, and his face was like the face
of a corpse. He had taken his boots
off before turning in, and his stockinged
feet stuck out below the bottom of his
blankets. Alongside one of them pass.
ing inside his trousers leg, was the last
12 inches Of rattlesnake-a big one
curling to and fro, like the end of
whip, as it went up out of sight.
"'For Gods sake, hu1ryi said Adams
Ills heads on my chest now and he's
coming higher all the time. Cut my
clothes off me, and don't waste time!'
"'Keep STILL Adams, and don't wake
the camp, l cautioned him. IF there
gets to be a racket round it'll start the
snake up. He won't get hostile if he's
let alone. Now he's quiet and let me
. work.
ut was an easy matter to pull the
. blankets off Adams. That left him lying
in shirt and trousers, with the snake
next his skin. Then | set to work 10
cut away his clothes. OF course, before
l began / located the snake, but that
was an easy thing to do, for under tht
clothes the reptile felt as big as bar
> rel. NY hunting knife was as keen asi
razor. / began at the trousers leg, rip
g ping it up at the side. Then I cut tn
shirt open on tho side, working from
; the bottom up. Adams was standing
! the racket well, all things considered
He lay there not moving a muscle
: scarcely yenturing to breathe. with tia
!, heavy, cold reptile on his chest and il
: head at his throat. But in that SIT
tone that he had used before-somf
;, thing as If a dead man were talking
9 he would say, now and again: 'Hurr
up! for Gods sake hurryl'
i. up round the neck, where the ban
y was tight it was ticklish business
cut the shirt loose without cutting Bi
:. and then again | realized that VI
working with my hand mighty near
= rattlesnake's head. But got the shi
. cut clear from top to bottom. Then
= went round to the other side of Adam
"'Now, Bill I said, and pulled shi
and trousers leg over to me, leavil
Adams body bare, with the snake
full view The reptile was big, dar
Is colored mountain snake, fully five fc
long. AS il lay in something of an
l. shape its tail was at Adams knee, VIII
81 It's head rested in the hollow of h
~ throat.
V "At sight of me the snake drew bat
6 it's head and went half into coil {
e Adams stomach. Then, seeing that
e did not move or offer to attack it, Il
e snake turned and erawled off fro
h Adams and made for the shelter of
n plant half dozen steps away.
" "'All right, Bill; he's gone | said,
IS at was like touching spring. b
N lieve that when Adams came up fro
r the ground he went four feet stralg
into the air; and the yell he fetch
lie made the boys think, as they wok
is that the Utes were upon us. The sig
i of half-naked man, jumping and ye
"a ing, without there seeming any eau
Of for it, was rather startling as it wa
II But Adams quieted down in a minute
c. two, about the time had matters e
S. planned. Two of us went out and KILL
l. the snake-his rafting gave him avn
IN and the rest helped Adams get i
er clothes patched together to do t
n. morning."-N Y. Sun.
THE WORLDS RAILWAYS.