The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-14
THE RATHER IND THE RAT
A Snake Story Told and Vourhed For by n |
Man from Boston.

A Snake Story Told and Vourhed For by n
Man from Boston.
When a friend OF mine came back to Bos-
ton from a winter in Florida" said a man from
Boston. he brought with him one Of the big
rattlesnakes that are familiar product OF
Florida. This one was more than five feet
long. handsome and lively and showing vicious
ness and vim with every movement. Rattle
snakes are apt to be sluggish and stupid in ac-
tivity. but this big fellow was always on the
alert and didn't hesitate to strike his fangs
into anything put inside his cage.
"One day somebody captured one Of the
brown wharf rats that abound along the Bos
ton waterfront. This particular rat was not
large one. but he had lots OF nerve. He was
put into the rattlesnakes cage. as many rat
had been before. They had always been the
ever survived the strike Of the RATHER more
than Ave minutes. The wharf rat had scarce &C.
snake cciled and struck. sinking his fangs In
the rats neck. The rat gave sharp sguea! as
n nS g and Srabbns the snake by the Jaw
closed his teeth on 1t. This was a genuine
surprise to the ugly RATHER, He writhed and
ratties, for the rat kept his sharp incisors bus
his hold on:the bsIlserent little animal Then
the rat released the rattler's Jaw and sat hud-
died IN hear n 2. the SNAKE who
and surveyed the rat as Il in amazemsnt; The
rat presently began trottine to and fro In the
"A quarter OF an hour passed and the rat did
not show the least sign OF any effect OF the rat.
this. but apparently not any more than the
RATHER was himself. In fact. the rattlesnaKe.
probably feeling that his supremacy and rep
rat again Before he coied for the strike he
crert toward the rat. his eyes gllttering and
his tongue playing in and out OF his mouth
fercey., This movement on the part OF rattle
snakes is intended to strike their victim with
terror; BHt this rat wasn't stricken With ter,
moved forward and met his terrible foe half
way. Quick as the snake was, the rat was
his teeth and BIT it on.
That was enough for the rather No mem
bearded and audactously treated before The
big snake fastened back to one corner OF the
ala not even have tho heart to sprinr his rat
ties when the rat. IN moving nervously about
ths cage; walked all oyer his body. But the
ignominious defeat In the course Of day or so.
and he and the rat became great friends.
tators u worry the rat by pokinR him with
sticks, and when amicnble relations had been
the rat H9G The snake the
ors and spring sava gely at them to the top OF
The cage: while eyerythnnS resoundsd with
the cege fortnight or so, and then released.
He returned to his home beneath the wharf
every day came out and paid visit to the
snake at the cage. the rattler welcoming him
at the lattice with every ,dsmonst ration OF
pleasure. One day a mischievous boy hang
Ing around the dock shot the rat with a Flo
bert rife. and did what all the rattlSsnake's
was interssting to see the snake watch every
day for the coming Of tho rat, and when sew
RATHER colled himself up in his corner and
lay there day after day. refusing to notice
food or 70 respond with his usual viclousness
to the prODnRS OF a stick | don't tI
that this rattler was pining for the compan.
ionship OF the rat or not. but one day when
my friend went 10 the cage and tried TO stir
the snake up with his cane he discovered that
the snake was dead"