Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1897-06-17
A Nav Snake Story,

The snake editor of the Washington Star
was perambulating through Center market the
other morning, when he was suddenly over
come by the sight Of most familiar bale of
whiskers.
By gravy" exclaimed the gentleman con-
nected with the whiskers, extending his horny
hand of toll and accompanying it by CLEAN
Of pleasure in his face, ''how'y do2 Pm
dern glad to see you. Where you been this
long timer
"Right here in town." replied the ophidian
editsr. "Glad to see you, Pm sure. What's
the good word in Loudoun county,"
"rimes mighty hard up there, but no hard
er than they are everywhere else, reckon.
We're kinder settin' on the fences waitin' fer
the cry Of prosperity to come along our
way"
"You ought to be doing as we'll as usual
in snakes, aren't you? Inever saw the time
when Loudoun wasn't right in the front when
it came to real, downright truthful snake
stories."
The gentleman connected with the whs-
kers caught the ophidian editor by the arm
eagerly.
"Come over here with me-" he said, "and
set on this ice box fer minute or two. Did
you see, J" he went on when the ice box sofa
was fully occupied, Gin the Leesburg papers
anything about my losin' fine dog ten days
ago."
"No. l don't fancy it has got into the
Leesburg papers yet"
"Mebbe it hasn't. but Iheard it was goin'
to be put in. Anyway it happened and pll
tell you, SOS you can make note of it down
here. You know mother snakes has away of
carrying their young around with 'em like a
'possum, and when they stretch out in the
sunshine they let their whole brood come out
Of their mouths and play in the grass or the
warm dust! Well, an old mother snake was
doing this with her brood on my farm one
of them warm days about ten days ago and
my big mastiff pup came bouncin' along and
scared her off before she had time to open
her mouth and let the brood of young ones
Jump down it, as they always do when there's
danger Of any kind. There was twenty-four
little fellers, from about eight to twelve inches
long, and when the dog chased off the mother
snake they kind Of scattered, too, only they
didn't have sense enough to know what to
do next.
"As for the dog, he laid down by the road
side, dead tired from chasn' round like a
ten-months' old pup will do and stckin' his
head down on his fore legs stretched out in
Front Of him, laid there with his mouth open
pantin' fit to kill. Twas settin' on the fence
watchin' him, and in about two minutes be-
gin to see the grass shake in front of his
head and before he could git over his sur
prise at what was happenin' I'll be doggoned
II every one Of them little snakes hadn't took
him for their mother and gone kitin' down
his throat.
"And you ought To- seen him q minute
later. lie knowed something was wrong
and guess the snakes inside OF him did, too
for the way he wallcred and clawed ant
howled was caution to behold, and Il got
so bad that he begun to have fits, and ther
we had to shoot him. Fine dog he was, too
and Id been offered $50 for hin by the sheriff
Of the county.
"And the mother snaks" inquired III,
editor.
"Dern her io'pieces,' replied the bereave,
owner Of the dog. ~ did hear she went oi
down 10 The Potomac and drowned hersel
isr grief bu. somehow don't moren bal
believe it@