The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-02-04
pRAlRIE DOCS 40 RATTLEsNAKEs
rhoy May Live Together, But They Are
Not the Best OF Friends.

Not the Best OF Friends.
cor course YOU have heard it said"
'cmarked the man back from the
West. that rattlesnakes and prairie
logs are close friends. rent the same
1ouse and make happy family.
1T certainly is a fact that the rep
lie is generally found in the prairie
log village. But l was once witness
If a little scene which went far tc
prove To me, at least. that prairie
log loves RATHER somewhat less
han commonly supposed. / was rid
NJ after cattle in Wyoming. not far
from the Colorado line. when it came
o1L.
Prairie dogs form the principal
crop in those parts. and their quaint
antics never failed to amuse me. ON
this particular occasion | had man
aged to get close to a colony, auC
waited for developments. Consider
ably apart from the others two dogs
were sitting with their noses close to
sether. They appeared to- be very much
concerned over the movements of a
big RATHER which was laZily crawling
about near them. When the snake
moved a length or two the dogs be
came excited and danced like little
lunaticS. but if the RATHER ceased his
motion there were the cute little cusses
with their noses together. managing
somehow to keep abreast of his
majesty, without seeming to follow
him
"Once the snake coiled, and then
the dogs had business elsewhere. but
when ne Strengthened out they were
on deck again. The RATHER i'm the
course of his wriggling came to a hole
and stopped there, as though undeter-
mined as to whether it would he
worth while to enter or not Now the
prairie dogs began to take on in the
most unaccountable manner. as
though they had been feeding on loco
weed and had suddenly felt the effects
Tncy danced on one hind foot and
rolled over. They dashed UP lchnd
the snake rs though they were itch
ING to push him into the hole, and
ever and anon they would come TO
attention with noses together-talk
ing. l suppose.
e
these goingS on. for the snake soon
began 10 slip into the hole. The dogs,
though very intent upon his move
monts. remained perfectly quiet until
the last of him had disappeared. Then
they got to work in earnest. and the
way they kicked dirt into that hole
was n caution.
They worked in n systematic man
ner When the entrance was well
filed with loose dirt they tramped il
and then threw i'm more dirt They
were not satisfied until the entrance
to that hole was blocked and packed
down with dirt until it was as solid
as the original sod.
Then the little rascalS seemed to
he tickled half to death, and rubbed
noses times innumerably before they
skipped off to look for another lazy
snake. All of which makes me think
that although the RATHER lives with
the prairie dog. perhaps he comes. like
your wfeS relations. without any invi-
tatiOn and without paying any board.
"One other thing / have noticed
about these peculiar little village peo-
pie. I have often found thriving vii
lagos fully fifteen miles distant from
any known water. How do they live?
DO they make n thirty mile trip every
time they want drink? DO they dig
q we'll for common use, taking turns
till they get down TO water? Or. as
many plainsmen think. does the prairie
dog never drink water at alI?"-New
York Tribune.