The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-06

carried him TO one side and got on ths
wagon and drove on.
About week later was up on the same
road aKin. This time was lookin' around
tryin' to locate huckleberry patches &C
as to be In the first pickin' when they got
ripe. when fust thing I knowed ! landed
in the centre Of the biggest den OF rattleri
q hundred or more o them snakes. and
certainly not less than seventy-five. Any
way, they was thick, and knowed was uI
aginst 1t when they all began buzzin' and
collin at once
Il had hickory stick I'd cut when
started out and / laid around right and
left with II, knockin' out a RATHER every
time i struck. But the rattlers was every
where and | couldn't land the stick fifty
different places at once, so l was getting
pretty nervous and wonderin' If I'd ever see
the old woman agin.
We'll. about this time the snakes. bein
a sagacious lot, says to themselves, We'll
we'll have him Rattlers il among the
smartest snakes alive. heerd Of one onct
that was a pet of a telegrapher and who
would take his masters place at the key
when he wanted to take nap. All he'd
do was TO rattle his tail on the key and
the electricity did the rest.
well. as l was sayin', ] was soon the
centre spot in circle OF collin, rattlin'
reptiles, and ! was just startin' to give up
the ghost when a big blacksnake come
boundin' up TO my side Then he stood
on his tail, and when his face came to mine
I'm over ak feet in my socks give me
a broad wink.
] picked up by the taIi t'other day and
lifted out O the road
-The snake nodded
BY gum says. and believe you've
come to help me out O. this scrape in return
for not runnin' over you says.
The snake nodded.
Them says I. you can't begin none
with that the reptile got of his tn il
quicker'n lightning and was at about q
dozen rattlers at once. / don't know ex-
actly how ii happened. but sure as l am
alive and settin' here this minute before I
had been able to lay about and kill more n
half dozen rattlers, that blackspake was
at my side and standing on his tail and look
Ing into my face and winking ag'in.
AT that / looked around and counted
fifty or more dead reptiles and nary live
rather.
by gum, l says. I do believe you've
killed EN- all
The snake nodded.
You saved my life.' I says. and I'm
Tho snake winked and nodded.
Now. l says, I'm goin' home. and
when I get theer I'm goin' to ten the people
what ! know about you, and tell EN- If
they run across you not to harm you. be-
cause you're friend Of mine
AT that the snake Topped OF his tail
stood on his head, hello his tail In the air
and shook hands with me.
Well. 40 long. old friend. Hope I'll
see you soon again. saws, and starts OF.
But bless my suspender buttons II that
snake don't crawl longside of me. All the
time he keeps lookin' from right to left,
and finally got to thinkin' and al last says:
By gum, / believe you're goin' along
to protect me from any rattlers that might
happen along
4The snake mods and winks.
well, sir. that snake wiggled alongside
Of me for ten miles, until struck the edge
Of the town. Then he stops, puts his tail
in nv hand and winks
Well I says, shakin' 1t. you're brick,
you are. and I hate to part with you. But
good-by. and I'll remember you when
we meet agin.'
He winks solemn like. and crawls OF
the way va come"