The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-04
THE ENEMY oF SNAKES.

In the age-old book Of Genesis. supposed
TO be the first literary effort OF the Pa
triarch Moses, in she third chapter and
fifteenth verse. appears what scholars say
IS the very first dIvinely revealed promise
from on high 20 the human race, at a
time when the world was young and men
were credul5us and supersttious, and were
swayed by emotion and prejudice. The
promise is as follows: And I VIII put
enmtty between thee and the woman and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall
bruiss thy head. and thou shalt bruise
his heel THIS is the weird and uncanny
converse ton sad TO have taken place be-
tween Jehovah and the serpent when the
tragedy of The Garden had been enacted,
and just after the curse had been declared
which forever s-lgmauzed the reptile
Upon thy belly shalt thou go. and dust
shalt thou eat all rhe days OF thy lie"
Be that as it may. il IS certain that be
tween man and the subtle era Wing serpent
there : ardyins enu,ry. a mutual hate as
bi-cer. and unrelent.ng as actual This
otherwise understandable fury OF hatred
was loathl0g.v eXempEfed one day last
week il the appearance on the streets OF
West Wichita x strange and urseemly
being He vas a powerfully built man OF
PROBABLY Sd years. He was dressed II a
motley garb 4 buckskin and the skins and
pe,ts ot trapping animals. and though
fearfu.ly hot he wore on his head a shay
gy fur cap OF Ills own construction Heavy
boots laced with hide thongs incased his
feet. ard A belt maze from piece OF har-
ness kept his iii-assorced ra.11eut together.
He carried a gun rusty with long use,
ard Il long ash pole sharpsusd IN one end.
into which was thrust stee, prong. HIS
head dress was not more shaggy tlan
himself for his irou-grey hair reached 20
his shoulders IN long streaming locks and
MS beard nearly n his waist Verify he
looked Ike Rip Van Wrinkle, and q more
hoary and ancient mariner never d-if1et
20 these shores. L h-s personal appear
arce as ID dress Was striking. his ador7-
n.e1-s We're more Sc and s-uss0me 70 :.
degree. he was literally strung ali over
his massive frame WIKI the sheu-like raj
ties OF the rattIesnake. In long strings.
ard beads & ccr,ously wrought figures
ana designs IL ali c51cetvab.e shapes ard
forms. were these lugubrious rs.-s - his
p-1wess strung. dangling and catering
with his every movement Thz police
watched + n with suspicion. children stood
II distance ana -lze5 IL niue awe. 4ri
even str--E ne1 shank IS they came
close .o h.-1 on The -7ng bridge Rst he
-a.I no heed % any bu, -azed Vt-h hs
sals- ewes cT toward ,he thick bushes
sk5rtsc< rha river. and a -seQ. dread l1ok
il was. one - see,a.lE. Uadyin- ard IN
9u=rchab.s hate. 4 feE6ish and demo-
1lacas fury seemed - Dc suppressed wira.1
hts massive frame. but which once .uaEc--
tered would ,ea- he life from q zoe WIKI
-be ease aoa satanic dsaEh, - zar5a--
Bu- the poor and ps;-ab,e old man was as
harn-e Is q kitten 50 FAR a his KIND
are concerned. and there vas 70 cause for
fear from rs giant form. <7r VIA men
he is ever gentle ans k.E5. But within his
oreast seataes and burns fury which, ike
furnace. 7-lv hiaEeS the mere as IT Is
famed By c.nls. and ssit-fes5.aE- But lis
terrible haze SHELLY directed -owzrl al
that creep and Crav, and walk not upright.
ana perhaps his IS che -,Ebr - enduring
ve1Sea--.e Twenty years a-o this man
John Mlf1-eEor by name. passed through
,hls town with his wlte. d lite e., ~
= years nd a oahy IN arms. They
canned Jus across ne bridge. thea ozly
s-F he-e. ard On the spot x1ers 2
livery stable later stood. now burned down.