Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-09-05
CUT SNAKE IN HALF
THEN BUSINESS END BIT PENN
SYLvANiA FARMER.
William SchIey Has Learned Some
thing About Reptiles Which He
Thinks He Will Remember-NeM
Antidote for Snake Bites

WUl1am Scn1ey Oh decatur tOWR
ship, Pennsylvania, has resolved never
again to cut rattlesnake into more
than two pieces An experience which
he had day or two ago has convinced
him that he may make two snakes
out of one with impunity, but when
ne gets greedy and tries to make
three there is apt to be trouble. In
cidentally Mr. Schley has learned that
as snake-bite medicine common chick
en- can give cards and spades to whis-
ky-a remedy which heretofore has
been regarded as an indispensable
adjunct to life in this mountainous
region.
1T happened up in Sharer's gap"
said Mr. Schley. q started for a
mess of huckleberries. After driving
up through Bald Eagle valley to the
gap 1 hitched my horse and took my
basket from the buggy. 1t was just a
few feet from there that the berries
were thick. 1 was crossing the read
to the patch when 1 saw a big RATHER
right in front of me. In my time
have killed some big ones, but none
that could hold feather to that fell
low.
For a moment I stood admiring
|
him. He seemed peaceable enough,
coiled up there in the road, and 1
thought he might stay there until
could get a crotched stick in the
woods and catch him. 1 had a Ratchet
in the buggy and went to get it,
thinking to cut crotched stick with
it.
well, sir, that snake must have
been watching me, for the moment l
turned my back it made 1unge for
the horses leg. / brought the Ratchet
down on the RATHER and when l lifted
1t there were two snakes where there
had been but one before. l had cut
the fellow in two, and yet 1 hadn't
taken the fight out of him. No, sir.
He kept right on-that is, the front
part of him did-and in another mo-
ment he was ready to strike the horse.
So again my Ratchet went down, but
he swerved aside and let me have
those fangs right in the forefnger OF
my right hand here.
well, I tried to shake him off, but
he wouldn't shake worth a cent. Ii
my excitement 1 forgot that 1 had a
horse and buggy SO near at hand, but
I did remember that Chris Sharer
lived about five miles from where
was, and 1 started over the hill to
ward his house put my foot down
on the end of the snake and pulled
my hand free from his fangs. 1 ran
| faster than before until 1 reached
-Sharer'S home.
MY finger had swollen to twice its
natural size and my hand was badly
swollen. My arm was blue up to the
elbow. Sharer at once bound my arm
to stop the circulation and then
poured whisky into me.
"Sharer killed chicken and split It
open. Then he split my finger where
the fangs had entered and placed the
chicken on the wound. The chicken
meat turned green and yellow, and
gradually the swelling in my arm went
down and the pain stopped. Mr..
Sharer then made a poultice of soap
and the white of an egg, and put it on
| the wound.
This relieved the pain and soon the
liquor that had poured into me sent
me to sleep. 1 remained at Mr..
Sharer's house all day and then went
home. Although the swelling had
gone my arm felt sore, and I expect
| it will be some time before / can use
a Ratchet again.