The morning news., 1899-02-12
HOW PHAROAH SAVED ME.
A story OF Some RattIesnnIxes ana
Pig.


BY Frank L. Pollock.
lie was not the Oriental Pharoah but a
chubby black and while pig. fond of hui
man society. Farm folks know how oc-
casiona'ly sheep, pig or a hen will in
sist upon taking up its quarters as close to
human beings as possible
Pharaoh devoted himself TO me. and
whenever l was about to stroll over our
Pennsylvania hills with my gun. or go 10
'he nelSh5ortng village. 1t was first neces-
sary 10 look carefully TO see that he was
Hot IN sight, 1t was almost impossible 60
contine him, and he would often follow
Just as dog will do, only showing him
seH when he was too far from home to be
sent back
1hls morning however, l fancied that he
was m security, for / had shut him into
a small sheep pen and closed the bars. II
was beautifully mild day near the middle
OF spring, and | was going into the woods
TO shoot crows which were very lestruc-
tive 10 the corn, both before and after
sprouting
l roamed about for several hours, and
becoming tired, at last l sat down 10 rest
upon strip of smooth grass and leaned
against big Pile of bouiders l had a
magazine in my pocket, and took it out 40
read. It was delightfully."- warm and sun
n.y. sat longer than l had intended, ana
presently began to find il difficult TO keen
my attention fixed upon the article | was
reading. ] closed my eyes two or three
times, and as often reopened them. and at
last the magazine slipped from my hands
and fell into a light doze.
How long l slept do not know, but /
was awakened by a sensation as of cold
wafer being poured across my wrist.
moved my hand involtintarlly, and with
the movement came a low buzzlng whirr
that brought me 10 my senses like light
ming, though fortunately not 10 my feet.
Opening my eyes, / fooked in the direc-
ton of the sound, but without moving a
muscle of my body. I saw what / ex-
pected. Close beside my left wrist, and
coiled up in neat spiral, was the rattle
snake His broad, wedge-shaped head
was erected venomously while his rattles
buzzed from the center of the soil His
gaze was directed al my hand which /
had sleepily moved at the chill contact of
his body, and he was evidently in two
minds, whether to strike or retreat.
/ was not unused to rattlesnakes, for we
frequently met them about the farm, and
| knew l was in the most imminent peril.
/ did not lose my presence of mind, how
ever, and all my faculties cleared 10 form
a plan of escape. / did not believe that
the snake would strike while ! remained
motionless. and I was calculating whether
by a quick turn and a roll in the opposite
direction I could not arrive at a safe dis
lance from my enemy, when I was horribly
STARTED by rustling Of paper and another
warning whirr directly beside my right
shoulder
While asleep had gradually slipped
down. so that / now lay al full lenght up
on the grass. AS I cautiously turned my
eyes in that direction / saw second
snake. a small one, coiled up on the page
and ready for action.
/ was horror-strlcken at this sight, for
il seemed that l was hemmed IN on both
sides But even then ! cast my eyes up
wards and saw. protruding from crevice
in the rock above, half the body of a third
of The hideous creatures. More than that,
there were two or three other heads and
necls just visible here and there about the
chinks, directly above me- The Old bould-
ers must have sscen their winter retreat.
AT this discovery ] turned deadly sick
and believe | should have tainted had
not braced every effort Of the will against
it, The snakes ceased rattling after lit-
tie. and Strengthened out their coils. but
did not move away. Another fell with
heavy flap close to my ear In my inhamed
where one actually did drag his cold
body across the back of my hand and
another began 10 bask IN the sun at my
feet l do not know how many snakes
really were assembled around me. but
there could not have been less than half
a dozen.
As the minutes passed without my re-
ceiving the expected bite, the first horror
and deadly fear subsidized. and / began to
think of plans for escape. 1 thought that
the snakes would return TO their dens at
nightfan, but could remain absolutely
motlonless for so long timer doubted
It.
Suddenly the snakes threw themselves
into coll as If by common impulse. and
began to sound Their rattles most viciously
In another minute heard a patter of feet
upon the hard cattle-track leading up the
hill Next moment Pharaoh appeared,
snufing the air his nose covered with
earth, showing how he had escaped from
imprisonment, and the bristles on his back
standing up stifiiy.
AS he approached, 1 noticed that the
snakes on the stones turned and crept In
wards as if alarmed. He did not hesitate
an instant but charged right down upon
the reptiles, champing his jaws and utter
ing the most ferociOus snorts. AS he near
ed me. the ratiler al my right sprang from
it's coil in his face--sprang struck, and
buried It's fangs so deeply that II hung
for a moment suspended But this only in
creased Pharaoh's wrath. Tossing his head
he set his foot upon its body and tore il
from its hold. then proceeded to trample
Il to pieces, without In the least regard
ing it's frantic Kissing and attempts TO
bite.
Next, he made a furious plunge right
across my body at a second. This one did
not wait for him, however, 1t turned tail