The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-16

A SNAKE Story Told and Vouched for
by q Man from Boston.
New York Sun.

ANSW u uH.
When a friend of mine came back to
Boston from a winter in Florida" said a
man from Boston. he brought with him
one of the big rattlesnakes that are a famil-
lar product Of Florida. This one was more
than five feet long, handsome and lively and
showing viciousness and vim with every
movement. Rattlesnakes are apt to be slug
gish and stupid In captivity. but this big
fellow was always on the alert and didn't
hesitate TO strike his fangs into anything
put inside his cage.
brown wharf rats that abound along the
Boston waterfront. This particular rat was
not a large one. but he had lots of nerve.
He was put into the rattlesnake's cage, as
many a rat had been before. They had al
ways been the ordinary house rats, though.
and none had ever survived the strike of
the RATHER more than five minutes. The
wharf rat had scarcely time TO look about
him in the cage before the snake coiled and
struck, sinking his fangs in the rats neck.
The rat gave a sharp squeal as he felt the
rattler's fangs. He twisted himself about
and, grabbing the snake by the jaw, closed
his teeth on II. This was a genuine surprise
TO the ugly rattler. He writhed and twisted,
and made everything hum with the violence
of the play of his enormous set of ratues,
d4r w the rat a1,i kep Pit ms fsrm shsrP p,a ane cnsEs i Dgsi syy
his hold on the belligerent little animal.
Then the rat released the r~attler's Jaw and
sat huddled In a heap glaring at the snake,
he lay and surveyed the rat as IL in amaze
ment. The rat presently began trotting TO
ana Iro IN the cage, looking Tor a place
to escape from 1t.
"A quarter Of an hour passed and the rat
did not show the least sign &C any effect Of
the rattler's venom. The So ectators were
amazed at this, but apparently not any more
than the RATHER was himself. In fact, the
rattlesnake, probably feeling that his SUI
premacy and reputation were at stake. pre-
pared TO strike the rat again. Before he
coiled for the strike he crept toward the
rat, his eyes glittering and his tongue play
ing In and out Of his mouth ~fercely. This
rnnvamont IN the mart Of raff1er EoS &c in
tended to strike their victim with terror.
But this rat wasn't stricken with terror
by this RATHER: not even a little bit. He
moved forward and met his terrible foe half
way. Quick as the snake was, the rat was
quicker yet. and caught the ~rattler's tongue
In his teeth and bit IL of.
This was enough for the rattler. No
member of his dreaded species had ever
been so bearded and audaciously treated be-
fore. The big snake fastened back to one
corner of the cage. and was so completely
TO spring his RATHER when the rat. In NOV
ing nervously about the cage, wake all
over his body. But the rattlesnake recov-
cred from the effects of his ignominious de-
and the rat became great friends.
1T became the favorite pastfme for spec
tators TO worry the rat by poking him with
sticks. and when amicable relations had
been established between the rat and the
snake the snake used to cover the rat from
his tormentors and spring savagely at them
to the top OF the cage. while everything re-
sounded with the clamor of his rattles. The
rat was kept In the cage a fortnight or so.
and then released. He returned TO his home
ONCE was situated. but every day cam out
and paid a visit to the snake at the cage,
the RATHER welcoming him at the lattice with
avery characterization Of pleasure. One day :