The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1900-03-08

fally. His i.use sre indeed deadly, su
Is be sefr. lue tuii Of stmor. bot 10
o deer .nI the silj hog never isll 10 .
!. tsSk hin. and be bss 40 ruoay q hi
oso hind still mors dangerous 10 him.
0 sa,kes may be divided ibto three cl.sse
D lhoso which ale senomons, the eoD,iti
Q 'ors and ibose shieb are neither
> U less the second Of these are woudei
fol q r their Sc, they secure lilile Of oul
; attention, aud yet they are gen rail-,
beautiful 10 colors. most graceful 10 sc,ioa
! and often among oar best friends.
l. F.otil.. writes = naturalist. 10 thc
iouth's Companion We have isc con
striotors especially noiiesbis-t biaca
racer. which Rtoss to tbs length Of twelve
fest aod m,kts business OF warning 90
rats aud other small deer the farmer
bate, ond the King snake. whose mission
seems o be the eitermiuslion Ct the raj
tier
O . Gay | was returaing hon days
huut. st peace with the world aud NJ self,
wten heard fquirrel sooldipg as II he
were ward politician the pieht before
election The noise be made was so loud
aud idsis,elt that turned on OF my
wsv to see what could be the matter.
found the little fellow 90 the iruuk
OF ri,e about ten feet from the gionad
jumping about az II 10 convnisions. He
would Il ,urisb his isil wildly, scold 10
anger threaten 90 assault, iurn back
little mp the tree. and then returl aud
scold sesin,
l looked carefully and saw that his
anger was directed at q rattle snake that
lay coiled at the foot Of the tree The |
suase w,s compressed into a ball from |
the middle OF which its rattle touuded |
continuously; ii's bltziD1 little eyes were
fred uucbsngngly upon those Of The
squirrel.
The brzx, buzz, droned on ths summer
air with sleepy tfitot but the squirrel
scolded 10 an ever ascending key But
for the hint OF the sqnirrel's eyes | could
not have located the rsttler. His color
ind his vsriegsiei markings { d red but
little contrast 10 his surroundings His
monotone Of noise was lndth it's and TO
light as we'll ~ 10 SQUAD he seemed onl Y
, blnr on The background OF dark tspd
~ which be lay.
Was the squirrel only curious to safety
,imseli ss TO the character OF that strange
,bi cot, or was he byproizid2 | have
'flen amused myself by exciting the
iolent curiosity OF the little animal, bui !.
ever did waving or jumping objsct
wakep such intense and psinful emotion
s the rattler always demands.
knew what must follow soon; that the ),
luirrel's cries would grow weak. and be
'ould g. ow dizzy, and finally tumble from
be tree. hang 3 moment With one CLAW,
I'd then drop into the Jaws OF the living 4,
cath that lay in wait. | had raised my ,,
fe to save the little fellow. when the h
sge1y was interrupted from smother m
1srter.
Swift as light, form raced on the
age. II was clothed in u cleaning
vat OF beautiful white and black lpots, a.
shifted and shone like necklace OF
'ecious stones, and knew the King a.
axe elaine q victim, A,
The newcomer was smaller than the
ttler, i,s ground color wss q ereepisb nj
sy, and The epots eciL tillsted 10 the bo
nlight which siiled down upon the a,
enc from the tangled branches overhead, "a,
At the fret, OF It's approach The
tller 10 ell interest 10 the squifrel.
lich ran bsck into the tree.
The king snake held his head high sud
oed round the rsttltr 10 q vide circle 70!
iile the rstter tried I slink away. Tue Or
,g dsrted forward Is II TO attack, and OH
, rstiler threw himself into coil The an'
lg was again away and racing around, ist
Ib swiIfDess the rsitler seemed upsbls an'
follow with his eye. The rsttler va. in9
we'd already; bis crest was lowered. his brt
~. buzz was lsrky and uneven, and al cnl
,ush be presented q very difereot sp sav
rance from the self-,on6dent nbitef wh
The woods, which be had seemed when
rst saw him, could think of othinp va
some hnmsn bully Surprised in the
OF torturIng his helpless victim. and
denly compelled 10 face an adversary ttol
Ithy Of his strength. Tae king snake v
med to enjoy the si usiion Is cat inh
% her cruel dsllying with q mouse. \
found and round went the king snake. int
the rsttler followed The movement TIL i
neck vas twisted. Whenever II the
10 tnrn the king would sprios !
v ard, aud II Was evident that the first and
ure OF the rattle 10 swiftness would be ]
sigusl for N uscie TO clipch with venom 4nii
king would rsee from left to right n
tben reverse. spd IL the rsttler failed Ihg
ollow that wonld be- The end OF him. ioii
. happened, aud ! ssS the king 10 II
air, bo, could not c.tch the strike, 90 clos
sptsneous vas II. Tort
here wsss confusion Of 6ying pine roJs
lies 10 ciopd of white dust, and | 1ltt
ths.t two inches Of the kings coll vac u
Of the thros, Of the rsitler. Oser aud ~.
they vent, the kings head shove that ~.
lie fnsmy, and curve Of bis body M
na ss bufi'r to keep up tue motion ~,
sh en,bie1 hia u take snolher tofn -
still smother. And 90 the struggle =
iuosd. MI the rstiier could not -.
be freely, snd be was beld ss ,ips n, !