The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-10

twenty-four miles. Two-thrds of this
distance had been traversed and the horses
seemed to be treading in the air above the
driver, so precipitous is the ascent when
on the untutored ear of the city traveller
fell a rasping sound as though a valisS
strap was rubbing against one of the wag-
on wheels. 81 think one of the valises -
in danger of falling out" said the narra-
tor 10 the driver who was likewise a Pike
county guide and hunter, known to fame
an through that region by the name Of
Romaine Whitaker The latter quickly
applied the brake. The moment his quick
ear caught the peculiar siz-z-zlng sound he
quietly calculated, "Rattlesnakei" and
sprang to the ground without moments
hesitation. He picked up a sharp-edged
stone. The sound still came from the high
bushes which lined tho roadway--a high
way so narrow that two vehicles upon IL
could not pass without both diverging into
the underbrush. The sound was harsh
~ sibiant. but totally unlike that OF a rat
tie of any kind. The hunter poised his
stone and his eyes pierced the bushes The
missile cleaved the air. The sound ceas-
3D. wait q minute" said Whitaker re-
strainingly, as his companions moved for
ward, they generally go In pairs" lie
beat the brush with stick. but no an
swering note of defiance was heard He
parted the bushes and with a forled stick
drew iOfln lHt HnlNtiiuB Do1y OF a fNG-
foot rattlesnake with a bleeding cash Ut
the back of its head. To the man who
phah never seen one of these formidable
REPTILES before, IL seemed one of the most
beautiful creature he had ever looked upon
It's sinuous length was marked with large
patches of dark velvet. It's eyes ehone
ike two of the most brilliant diamonds
ever mined. They blazed with anger. on
its tail were eight rusty looking rattles.
whose vibrations had betrayed the reptiles
anger at being disturbed and had proven
his death
whitaker held the crushed head to the
ground between the fork of his stick
thrust a chip of wood under the snakes
tongue and between it's fangs and there
exuded about half teaspoonful Of a
beautifully clear, crystalline fluid. looking
less harmful than anise tea. But II was
the CORDIAL of death: a mans life In every
drop of It, The rattlesnake's head was
now cut off and left blistering in the sun
and its body was thrown into the rear
end of the wagon, with the intention of
subsequently securing and curing the skin
so that IL might ornament some domestic
snuggery; a duty which II is performing
now.
Now comes the curious part of this tale
No one is expected to believe this cham
ter. yet every word OF IL is true.
The wagon In which the ascent to Por-
ter's lake was made was furnished with
three seats. The rear one was removed
TO make room for valises and a half score
of heavily laden wooden cases, which
completely filed the hind part Of the We
hicle. They were closely packed togeth-
err. Behind all these the llfeless body of
the snake was thrown. From thenceforth
the journey was entirely ascending, so
that there was no opportunity for the dead
reptile to be shaken toward the front of
tween the packages permitted. Under the
front seat, fully eight feet away from the
dead RATHER was a bottle of whisky,
standing severely erect between two small
packages. IL was not intended for pos
slble snake bites. It's purpose was an
honest one-occasionaI refreshment. One
hour after the death OF the rattlesnake the
party reached spring, which made rnu-
sic by the roadside. A halt was made.
One OF those who had carefully remained
seated In theswagon while the tragedy was
enacted walked around to the rear OF the
vehicle 10 take look over the tail-board
at the dead poisoner He startled his
companions with the cry: THE snake Is
gonep And so It seemed. After a vain
search among the valises and cases the
guide simply said: 'Jolted out of the wag-
on"
Someone suggested that as the water cf
the spring was very cold 1t wouldn't be a
bad idea 10 warm Il slightly. with some
of the contents OF the bottle under the
front seat and acting on those words he
put one hand into the hiding place and in
stantly drew 1t back, with the exclamatio
in Mortified accents; THE snalxew Every
one peered incredulously beneath the seat,
and there-this upon my word of honor
was the headless body Of the dead rattle
snake cooled around the bottle Of whisky,
for all the world like the initial vignette
In a typical temperance tale. This is not
told to inculcate a moral. All the men
who witnessed that sight still imblbe when
they feel so disposed. The narrator has
simply stated facts, and the rattler's skin
| now ornaments his den.
A change of dens, as IL were