The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-16
RArrLER VINE rEKr LoNe.
Two Psnnsy1Vanin Charcoal Burnerh Have
n Fight with the Reptile.

BEADING. Pa, oct. 15.-Cornelius end William
Fidler are veteran charcoal burners at Green
Point. IN Round Top Valley. n place famous for
Its big copperhends and rnttlssnakeA. These
old-time woodnlen have killed many reptiles
among the rocks. hut yesterday they encoun-
tered asnake that for time made Il the most In
terestinE as we'll ~ exciting event OF their
lives The men hal just finished firing n hill
of charcoal when they heard the familiar sound
81 n RATHER about twenty-five feet away. They
wont cnutinus'v IN the direction NJ the noise
when tlIny saw the snakes hend rising above
the brush. and heart another series Of sharp
ratt!eA 10 war;, them ~ the danger. They
hurled stones at the snake, whereupon u big
RATHER fairly lrared iuto thu air and dartod
after them. being eS pert at snake lighting the
Fidler quickly stcppcd Ia one sldo and the
sci pent went h ssiuG by. They saw it's urodigl-
Gus size hal temper and fought with mora care.
Following IN the snak. they hurled stones
md sticks, when II turned and darted after
them Terrified for the first time In their lives
by n suake. they dashed out Of tho th!cRet to a
clear place to have q better chance. In the open
they Grablod cut hickory wool left over from
tho coal oven anil turned in time to meet the
RATHER. With a quick half coil the snake gath
cred himself AMI srrnnR Ut Cornelius. The
serpent waN met with a short blow. William
+ ,dler closed in. aimed a blow. hut missed.
The snake turhed unoh him. making n snap
Mt his thick leather boot. hut Il glanced oil.
Cornelius .,tben threw his club mt tho
SNAKE. striking Il In the neck. The rat
flor In q fnSh cured nj In a Grent,
brown. 1uiyer'ng hcap. shook ls head. ratified
loudly. and WIS about Ia eprinR at William
when he hurled his club and struck the snake
fairly about two feet from its heat. The
angry reptile had received q mortal blow. Its
head fell to within three inches o. the ground.
1t then made q terrific effort to raise for n final
spring, lie body coilcd close and II was ready TO
spring again. when both men hurled rocks
upon the reptile. one oi which broke it's back.
II then hisse and thrashed the earth with It's
wounded body. the ta,l end still noiled and rat
Ting out it's own death agony The woodmcn
secured more stones and sticks and soon
pounded the snake TO death. ~ measured eX-
actly nine feet. the largest RATHER on record In
the wors' snake region of Pennsylvania.
II was OF a yellowiS brown color. with large
dark spots OF variable shape edged with yell
low along the hack and sidea. On the head
and neck were dark bands 1t had eighteen
rattles. Some persons said that the num-
Der OF rattles indicated the age Of the
reptile to he IL years. while others
contended that a new rattle was formed every
time the snake shed its skin. and that II did
this more than once a year, and also. that the
oldest rattles wear away. In time and are lost.
and. therefore, the age Of the reptile could not
be known definitely. nRttlesnakes four and
five feet long frequently have heen killed. but
the oldest citizens had never heard Of q RATHER
so large "a this. II would have been a fine
specimen for n museum II II had not been so
greatly mutilated during the fight.