New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-03
THE KING SNAKES PROWESS
MOUNTAINEER TELLS OF HIS HABITS
AND METHODS OF ATTACK.

USES THE GRASS AS A HANDKERCHIEF AND EATS
MOUSE OR TOAD AFTER BACH BATTLE
From The Philadelphia Times.
The distant murnur OF the waterfall, the hum
OF the bees among the flowers. made me feel
lazy. and laying aside my fishing rod, I
stretched myself on the soft spring grass under
a weeping willow and watched the blue cloud
specked sky. | had almost fallen asleep when
l was aroused by voice inquiring "Kotched
emmy fish. mister" Looking UP saw 4 typical
mountaineer. and assured him l had not Il
say. mister, this here is a powerful bad kentry
for snakes. One bit jim Sloans bay mare last
night an week afore last another bit Sally Mil
llgan Some on 'en air powerful p.Zen, Specially
the rattlers and coppers and that minds me. ef
| wuz yourself I'd move little further from
that ere copper. He amt Zactly perty to look
at an ef ye was ter rilc i'm with yer boot he
mout git vicious"
Long before that speech had ended I had
turned a somersault backward, which caused the
mountaineer n great deal of genuine pleasure to
behold I was about to exterminatc the big.
sluggish reptile with stick that had seized,
when my companion asked me to walt few mo-
ments as a king might come along. Not exactly
understanding whether he expected person Of
that name. and failing to what that event
had to do with my audable desire to smash the
big. ugly thing that had presumed to take my
leg FOR pillow asked him for an explanation.
AIR II possible yer town folks dunno what q
king air? Why king air the boss snake Nv
the woods. He don't do no harm to nuthn'.
'ceptin snakes an he doan poster them as
-
RATHER. which Is the wurst snakes Of these dig
gins. an he's death on 'en.
"Tother day was gwine long old road. an
all Of sudden heerd a singln' tho camp
mcctin' had just tuck in. / knowed 1t were a
RATHER and lOOkin' round saw him a knoll,
an a powerful big un he wuZ. He WIZ quilted
up like a corkscrew. and his rattes wuz n
maxim the air Jingle. But at first | couldn't
'scOycr the cause ard | knowed rattler never
got ready fur business fur nothn. Presently
seed the grass a-swayin' and a-bendn', and then
the RATHER ne gets neryiuS and skeered, an, I'M
quillin' hisself. he made a break to run. But It
wuZ too late. for on came the king like a hurri-
cane. and putin hisself just ahead the RATHER.
showed him his jig WIZ up. Seem he couldn't
'scape the RATHER quilted az in and showed fight.
The king. he commenced to run around his in
iny in vide circle. the RATHER watchin, lickin'
banter Closer and closer the king drawed his
circle he dashed around. until he worn't
morc'n three feet from the inimy.
Then the rattler. thinkin' he saw the last
show 10 save his bacon. made powerful spite
full lunSe at the king. an thar Is whar he slipped
up. for the king he lodged, and quickern gun
powder wuz onto the RATHER Thar waren't
nothn' but ball OF snakes In sight for few
minutes they fought and tussled over the
grass. but arter n little | could see the red and
black striped king wound around the big RATHER
Just like grapevine on a tree. Then seed the
king hold i'm by the back Nv the neck. an
could hear him crushin' the RATHER az he tight
cne,i on him. II wor all over in half an hour.
an the king. unwindin hisscif from his victim.
got behind and waited for ten minutes. Then he
crcpt up and put his nose on the rattler'S 70 see
II he WIZ hreathn. You sec. other snakes know
the king. an sometimes 'pOssum on him by pre-
tcnlin' to be dead But the RATHER shore
nun gone. and when the king satisfied Nv
this no crawlci In n old stump hole and present
~ came out with rnouse's tail stickin' out or
his mOuf But he soon swallowed the mouse. an
Wipin' his nose on the grass. went OF sarchin'
for more trouble 4 king alters eats a rat or a
toad after a fight TO make him strong for the
next un.
oil nj
lot rnOre'n that. for knows snakes do. but I'll
help you XIII the copper. which mout not meet
king until he bites some un Of we didn't. an
then | must hurry after my oxen. what war
huntin' when seed that varmint a-tryin' to ."