Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-29
TIE NEWS FROM THE OLD NORTH STATE IT'S CAPITAL.

key. But for the hint OF the squirrels
eyes I could not have located the rat
tier. His color and his variegated
markings offereds but little contrast to
his surroundings. His monotone OF
noise was indefinite, and to sight as
Well as In sound he seemed only a
blur on the background of the dark
sand on which he lay.
was the squirrel only curious to sat
iSfy himself as to the character OF that
strange object, or was he hypnotized? 1
nave often amused myself by exciting
the violent curiosity of the little animal
but never did a waving or jumping OBJ
Ject awaken such intense and painful
emotion as he RATHER always demands.
l knew what must soon follow: that
the squirrels cries would grow weak,
that he would grow dizzy and finally
by one claw and then drop into the
jaws of the living death that lay In
wait. had raised my rifle to save the
little fellow. when he tradegy was in
terrupted from another quarter.
Swift as light, Il form raced on the
stage. 1t was clothed in q cleaning
coat of beautiful white and black
spots; 1t shifted and shone like a neck
lace of precious stones, and knew the
KING snake claimed victim. The new
conner was smaller than the rattler: its
ground color was q greeniSh gray, and
tHC SPOtS Ill lie
which shifted down upon the scene from
from the tangled branches overhead.
At the first rustic Of its approach the
RATHER lost all interest in the squirrel,
which ran back into the tree. The
king snake held his head high and
raced around the RATHER in a wide cir
Gle, while the rattler tried to stink
away. The king darted for ward as If
to attack, and the rattler threw HIM
SELF into coil. The king was again
away and racing around, with a swift
ness the RATHER seemed unable to fol-
low with his eye. The rattler was
coWed already; his crest was lowered
his buzz. buzz was jerky and uneven,
and altogether he presented a very diff
ferent appearance from the self-con-
hdent arbiter of the woods which he
had seemed when 1 first saw him. 1
could think of nothing but some human
Dully surprised In the act of torturing
his helpless victim. and suddenly COM
PEELED to face an adversary worthy Of
his strength. The king snake seemed
to enjoy the situation as a cat does
her cruel dallying with a mouse.
Round and round went the king
snake. and the RATHER followed the
movement till his neck was twisted.
Whenever ii attempted to turn the king
would spring forward, and it was evil
dent that the first failure of the rat
tier In swiftness would be the signal
ior muscle 10 cllnch with venom. The
king would race from left to right
and then reverse. and if the RATHER
tailed to follow, that would be the end
OF him. This happened. and 1 saw the
king In the air, but could not catch the
strike, so instantaneous was it.
There was n confusion of flying pine
needles in n cloud of white dust, and 1
saw that two inches of the kings coil
was about the throat of the RATHER.
Over and over they went. the kings
head above that of his enemy, and u
curve of his body acting as d buffer
to keep up the motion which enabled
him to take another turn and still an
other And SO the struggle continued,
till the RATHER did not writhe freely,
and he was held as vine wraps a tree.
When he lay still the king snake began
to uncoiI himself slowly, and ct every
motion of his enemy the constructors
folds contracted and crushed with kill
ing effect. Even when there was only
n CULVER OF the tail, the king still grip
ped the throat. 1t was plain he had Il
wholesome res2ect for the fangs that
ton the king applied his nostrlls del
icately to those of the rattler, and re-
peated that several times, as if to de-
tect the faintest breath. Satisfied at
last. 1t released its enemy. but still
watched ready to resume its hold at
the slightest sign OF life.
There I left him keeping grim guard
over the body of his vanQuished foe.
AS I turned away, the voice of the
squirrel in the tree broke out again,
saucy and defiant as it always is, but
no longer filled with agony and terror,
as at first.