The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-06

or ali Lie nina OiNciANo VI NAlS COppeE-
head and rattlesnake country of West
ern Pennsylvania Nanny" Howell is
given the palm when it comes to snake
stories. Nanny lives in Westmoreland
county, and that probably has much to
do with his reputation, for the noun
tains around his home are yet but lit
+e worked, and so are filled with den
after den of two species of America S
most deadly vipers. ..
Six months out of the year Nanny
hauls logs and tanbark out OF. the
mountains. The rest Of the time he
New Florence. Then 1t is that the
farmers drive to town of evenings Jest
10 have a little game and listen to them
snake yarns of Manny's, be gosh" In
such a canny manner does Nanny turn
bis adventures with Westmoreland's
of him that if the receipts do not foot
ND a certain amount no stories are
forthcoming that night But when
business has been better than usual,
then Nanny let's himself loose and his
patrons are sure to hear his best
stories-with interesting variations at
each telling.
One of these stories has it's setting
in Manny'S own home, a stone house
that has stood on the edge of the town
for nearly a hundred years.
Me and my old woman was sleep
ing Jest as peaceful one night last
summer" begins Nanny, when round
about midnight, 1 should judge, 1 was
wakened by a sound like a running
sewing machine.
Look here, old woman 1 says,
being half awake and my eyes still
glued together, what you up at this
hour sewing for? Amt they enough
working hours in the day for you to
finish that dress for next presbytery? p
Eth, what's the matter, Nanny
got the nightmare AGAIN. l hears my
wife saying, and l wake up all at once
and find her sitting up in bed by my
side.
Il thought, says-when with that
there was that whirring noise again.
Rattlers!' 1 shouts.
Now, I've got a bull pup that would
rather fight RATHER than chase cats
any day. The pup sleeps outside and
I hadn't any thought of seeing him
tackle this particular RATHER, because
the door was shut and locked. But l
hardly finished shouting rattler!
when, kersplinters, PUNK! in through
the southwest windows jumps the bull
pup and clean out into the center of
the floor.
1T was dark as pitch-no moon or
stars shining-but from the growls of
the pup and the rattle of the snake
knew they was at it, trying for a hold.
And there me and the old woman was
in bed: she scared half to death and /
not knowing what to do.
Il don't know how long the scuff1e
on the floor kept up, but at last
says:
Mary Ann, I'm going to get up
and help that bull pup. He's stood by
me through thick and thin in my bat
ties with snakes in the mountains and
now I'm going to stick to him.
With that Mary Ann grabs me by
the arm. wv.
"'Oh, Nanny she cries, don't do
that. What'll 1 do if I am wilder
and the snake might bite you in the
dark -.,--
=" That's so,' 1 says, 'where're the
matches?' ...-.
The other side of the room, along
side the lamp on the WALL she says,
and the snakes somewhere in be-
tween
There I was, not knowing what to
do except that / wanted darned hard
to help that bull pup. 1 thought and
thought for may be ten minutes, and
had just about made up my mind to
jump on the floor and take my chances
When all at once I recollected that the
old woman had been in town buying
things in the afternoon.
Mary Ami! / shouts, for she was
way under the covers, head and all by
this time, didn't you buy some stickum
to mend that busted china when you
was in town to-day?'
" Yes, Nanny she whispers. just
peeking out.
Where might it be?' 1 demands.
The old woman dives under the COW
ers again. Pretty soon she reaches out
hand to ME-"
Here, Manny-here it is, she says.
1t cost As cents. and it was the last
bottle they had. and Mrs. Snickle up
the Ligonier road was after a bottle,
100 and she saw me get mine and look
ca envious like at me. and 1 feared
she might stop here on her way home
and try to lift it, so as soon as l got
mere l stuffed it under the edge Of the
ped What are you going to do with
IT. Nanny? 1t cost As cents she says,
Nalntive like. and it was a bargain.
But I was too busy to take stock
ABOUT bargains and such things.
yanked the cork out with me teeth and
poured a lot of the stickum in my
Hands. Then l hauled my feet out
from under the covers and smeared
Inc stickum over 'em good and thick.
Next smeared some on my hands and
arms clean Up TO my elbows and then
! threw the empty bottle in the direc-
tion of the scuff1ing.
., Now l says to the old woman,
l m going to get a light
With that before she had time to
erab me. l put my hands on the walls
as Tar up as 1 could reach. They stuck
beautiful.
Hurray" I shouted. Keep 1t UP,
nroWler-Tm coming. and 1 planted
my toes on the walls and they stuck.
men | moved my hands further ur
me wall, one at a time, and advanced