The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-06-11
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mancts siAAl BITS 81 territory ar,
capable Of producing under favor
able conditions. Though contain
ing but six or oi-ht acres, Rattle
snake island forms The scene o
quite an interesting episode alon.
this line. The island lies about tw,
miles 10 the northeast of Putin
Bay. From its peculiar formation
the island is generally supposed te
have derived its namc, though som,
assert that the appcllation was be-
slowed IN consequence of the IL
lnnitablc quantities Of the rattle
tailed species which rcndczyouse,l
in and among the crcyiccs and
governed rocks. From these fast
ncsses they were wont 10 wriggle
forth into. aggressive prominence,
kissing and clicking their spite and
whipping the surrounding vegcta-
ton until everything looked blue.
An able. accessory in the dispcr-
sion of this reptile host was un-
doubtcdly vested in the Drawn and
muscle OF old Hank Hammond, who,
with his family, located on the is
land. Old Hank wasn't afraid Of
rattlcsnakcs, evidently, and pri,lcl
himself lnanifcstlv upon owning
and occupying with his household
gods u whole island, which, if not
xcry lig, was at least far enough
removed from adjacent isles to af-
ford ample scclusion. SO at least
he imagined, and so in reality it
might have prove. but for The
single obtrusiyc fact that the old
codger was possessed Of several
comcly daughters, and, since Glove
laughs at locksmiths," scales
heights inaccessible, travcrscs dis
tanccs immcasurrble and achieves
lmpossibilitics of all sorts, this
blind but active imp was not long
in finding his way to Rattlesnake
island.
{ Sadie, the oldest, was an attrac-
tive maiden Of twenty years, with
eyes that matched the color of sea
and sky, and hair n fluff Of golden
brown. She was 1.-the and active,
free and fearless, and rcycling in
adventure, TOO, on the water like
duck. She was an expert at fishing
and fowling, could manipulate ii
pair of oars with admirable skill,
and with light skif was accus-
toned to cross frequently, some
times alone, the two mile stretch
Of water which intcrvcncd between
Rattlesnakc and Bay.
At the latter place she speedily
became the attraction of youthful
fisherman, who inadvertently cross
ed her path-one Tom Taylor.
After this development there was
no more peace for Rattlesnake.
From time to time its vicinity was
haunted by a spectral sail which
circled about the island, edging
Nearer and nearer at each cruise,
until one day it lay beached close
by the "grout" house of Hank
Hammond. At beck Of the little
winged god Tom Taylor and his
boat had followed the chatrner to
Der rocky retreat. This being his
first experience in courtship, how
ever, Tom proved a bit fresh, and
his bashfulness was excruciating.
His feeble advances were regarded
with apparent disfavor, the coy
maiden turning q deaf ear to his
opportunities, until in blank de-
spair he shook the dust of Rattle
snake from his feet.
One early spring day, some
months following the collapse of
Toms love affair, terrific squall,
such US sometimes swoops down
upon the islands unannounced,
struck Put-in-Bay with force that
wrenched limbs from trees and sent
the troubled seas sporting up the
rocks in binding showers. Look
ing from her window, an old woman
who occupied a cottage on East
Point thought she espied a small
boat far out on the lake driving
eastward before the gale. From q
shelf she snatched F air of field
glasses, through which she took a
second observation. Yes, the boat
was evidently drifting at the mercy
Of wind and current. Not an oar
was in motion.
Only q single occupant could be
discernad md that fa,nola With
breathless haste the old woman
rushed along the shore to little
cove, where among the trees stood
a fish shanty. Within an angle of
the L shaped dock several boats lay
moorcd, and two fishermen dressed
in yellow oilers and sou'westers
were coal tarring twine over
smoking kettle on the shore. One
of these individuals proved to be