Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-01-31
RATTLERs ARE HER FAD.
California Girl Catches the Reptiles
and Makes n Good Thing
Out of 1t.


cupation followed by woman is
that of Miss Grace Somers, of Cali
fornia. She lives with an uncle on
a ranch near Sonora, and has for
some time past been engaged in the
novel occupation of catching rattle
snakes, with which the region
abounds, and is earning by that
means a handsome sum of money
every year She has small parcel
of ground set apart for her individu-
al use, which she has named her rat
tlesnake farm, states the Chicago
Chronicle.
81 wanted to do something to earn
money, and there's not much girl
can do whose lot is cast on lonely
cattle range" says Miss Somers. II
was born in st. Louis. After / grad
uated from business college I had n
good position as typewriter in n law
yer's Office. Then my mothers health
failed, and we came to California.
Through letters | obtained a respon-
sible position in San Francisco. We
came to California too late, though,
to save my mothers life, and the
grief at losing her and the worrying
over my Office work soon told on me.
/ held out for almost year, and
then collapsed. The doctor said 1
needed a complete rest and change,
so l came up here to my uncle's
ranch, where the bracing mountain
air has almost restored me to health.
SIN my rambles about the hills 1
often startled snakes from the rocks
and brush, and invariably watched
them glide away. l wanted to OBJ
serve their beautifully marked skins.
One day Jim, cowboy on the ranch,
killed rattler and brought the skin
to the house. / had read a comment
on the fashion of wearing snake skin
belts, and l thought what fine one
this beautiful skin would make, so
/ sent it to the city and ordered a
belt made of it. That gave me my
idea. If there is demand for snake
skin BELTS thought, why shouldn't
/ supply skins for the market?'
$50 | wrote to a firm in San Fran
cisco, and asked them if they would
y
jumped at the offer and that was my
start. Later, / discovered i could
mount the skins into belts just as
handsomely as the hands they en-
ployed. Now send the belts all over
the United States. L do not make the
snake skin purses myself. For the
snake skins mounted into belts l re-
ceive from four to ten dollars, ac-
cording to the size and beauty of the
skins. The skins suitable for purses
net me about one dollar apiece"
Miss Somers laughed at the idea
of carrying along whisky as an. anti
dote for snake bites. 81 couldn't lug
along enough of it to be of any use,
and there are no moonshiners' stills
in these mountains to tap. There is
always Il little hope of preserving
the life of anyone unfortunate
enough to be bitten, providing there
are powerful alkalis at immediate
hand for prompt application. Fol
such an emergency l always carry q
reticule containing a bottle of anr
monia, stick of nitrate of silver and
cloth bandage to bind tightly
around the wound in order to cut of
circulation till the poison's strength
is conquered.
'But l don't place too much re-
lance on them," she added, frankly
81 believe in the ounce of prevention
and my greatest protection is tire
less vigilance
SIT keeps me busy all the time
either catching the snakes or mount
ing the skins into belts. Of course
when I'm hunting, l wear short
skirt, padded leggings and a stout
pair of gauntlets. If I'm going any
distance | ride over and tether my
horse while | scare up the snakes or
foot. Snakes love to snuggle among
warm, sunny rocks or in the soft
dry, rotten wood under a dead tree
/ aim to find rattlers first, of course
but Pm always ready to catch any
other kind that crosses my path
Many CT the harmless ones hav,
skins with beautiful markings tina
can be sold for purses at good profit
I'm more than satisfied with th'
amount of money L have made
You'd be surprised if l told you m.
earnings for the last six months
No, Pm not afraid of other womel
crowding me out of this field" an,
Miss Somers laughed lightly.
a Pretty Royal Custom.
A pretty custom dating from tn
wedding of the late Queen Victoria ha
ever since pertained to the royal fam
lily. A sprig of myrtle which forme
part of the brides wreath was care
fully cultured and in due time plante'
out When the princess royal was MAJ
ried sprigs were cut for her brida
wreath from this myrtle tree. Th
princess, following her mothers eS
ample, had one of the sprigs cared TO
till il became a full-sized tree, whc
served for her daughter-in-law'
| \yreath Mt the wedding of he DreSen