Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-07-25


In Cutting on the Head OF the Rep
tile After It's Intellectual Attempt
10 strike.
did you ever see a cow puncher kill
a rattlesnake with knife." said a
Colorado citizen now in town. when
/ l first went west, l punched cattle on
! the Sunset ranch. one of The largest in
/ southern Colorado. was a tenderfoot
/ fresh from the east, but no swell head
about me. That saved me a lot of
I trouble. The boys We're dead willing
/ to put me next. even 10 a 14-year-old
/ broncho never halter broken Among
/ other things. l learned how to kill
/ RATHER with a bowie knife. l killed
one with a knife 10 make my standing
good, bur after that gun or a pitch
/ fork was good enough for me.
Il have seen a plainsman ride up to
a small sized rattler, jump off his horse,
kick at the waving head. avoid the
strike and as the reptile came down
place heel upon its neck. coolly take
knife from his belt and dispatch ii.
| have also seen live RATHER thrown
up on a haystaek machine, and / have
seen the men working on that stack
jump, roll. tumble and slide TO get
away. They could not see the RATHER;
that was all. In the open they would
have played with il.
a rattlesnake is harmless out of
coil. For that reason it wastes no time
in getting back into coil after the
spring. 1t viii not strike unless it is
perfectly sure it can reach its object.
Therefore the cowboy must get into
reach of the snakes spring. 1t can
spring half its own length, and some
times more. OF course the larger the
snake the more coils. and the more
coils the more vicious the strike.
Dick Haynes was young dare
devil who would 20 out Of his way TO
play with RATHER. have seen him
kill at least a dozen with a knife, and
| saw him when he got such a close call
that he dropped the game and used a
gun forever after.
we were out together one Sunday
II was warm. and as we rode he famed
his face with his sombrero. Suddenly
he cIapped his hat on his head and
started his broncho on Iope. Watch
ME get that pison, he shouted.
Fifty yards to our right was a rat
tier. 1t was trying to get away, but
we headed il in an instant and were off
our horses. 1t Immediately coiled. and
then / saw the blgeese snake ! have
ever seen It was a diamond RATHER
ana about - years old. II had the
ugliest head | ever saw. enormous in
size, and with a mouth that reminded
me Of a bulldogs jaw. DICK stopped
just long enough 10 size up its length
50 as to Get an idea Of its spring. and
then went iii on il.
THE strike came like q flash Of light
ming. The snake struck the ground
with a sound like the cracking Of a four
horse whiplash in the hands Of an ex-
pert Dies just saved himself by
throwing IFS body back fun length.
The snake coiled again before Dick
could get 10 it. got nervous ana call
ell to hn to shoot it,
That's The first one that ever struck
at me and rot back he said. and I'm
going to have that pretty head.
The RATHER was beside itself with
rage. II lay, coil upon coil Of smooth,
glistenng length showing the long
reach and powerful spring in reserve
Out If the coils two feet more Of body
and neck rose straight in the air. and
above all hat black. venomous head,
with glowing eyes and forl1ed tongue,
waved. slightly. warily. to and fro.
Dick stepped in again. more eau
tlously He reached the knife nearer
and yet nearer To that swaying head.
knew lie was getting too close. but
feared 10 speak to him. Then came tile
strike. with that marvellous dart eli
speed Dicks knlfe flashed and the
snake lay squirminE, a leadless thing,
upon the ground.
Lets SET 10 camp said Dick. 1t
got me in the thumb.
we jumped for the saddles and
started GA a mad run for home. Dick
rode with his thumb On the saddle
horn and his knife In lis other hand.
IF she begins TO swell of she
comes said he
we reached Tire ranch. and while
Dick poured down whisky we exam
iued tle thumb We could ind north
/ ing. not the Sl.1t test wound. Tho snake
had strUek The handle of his knife. and
the strength and sujleuue>s 81 tile im-
pact made pilk lose LIS Nerve Il was
q good tlu- Ter him. He never went
after iatyles AGAIN without 9 long
- New Yoe6 sun.