The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-02

DuV HunUn8s suppose, Wh9n MT. Ming
Snake came across their trail. He went for
the biggest, a fverfoot specimen, first.
IL seemed unequal, as the attacking party
was under three feet But, strangely
enough, the RATHER seemed paralyzed with
rear. II l believed in serpent fascination
should say that he fascinated his victim.
All that the RATHER did was to keep his
head toward the foe. He made no attempt
state Of funk.
Waving his head from side to side, the
king snake crawled once around the other.
Then no darted. For few seconds there
was nothing to be seen but writhing coils
in a cloud Of dust
AS the struggle subsidized | saw that
The king snake had wound himself about
she neck OF his victim, and was tightening
his coils. 1t was soon over. The little
fellows coils unwound and he Strengthened
out. The rattler's neck was broken.
In all this connection the other rattler
had made no move either TO escape or to
aid her mate. She seemed helpless from
terror. If there was any resistance on her
part when the slayer attacked her it was OF
the slightest, and soon she lay dead with
her neck broken. To my great astonish-
ment the king snake crawled away, leaving
his victims lying there.
well, I thought I'd discovered something
new in natural history and l wrote it all
to my cousin in Boston, who is big bug in
scientific society. l backed it up with
affidavits from various people as to my
moral character and capacity for telling
the truth.
All wasted time. When my cousin put
in the report some snake sharp got up and
moved to lay the affidavits on the table
and take my word for the king snake, as a
man named Mitchell down there had re-
ported the same thing thirty years before.
Nknt Last 10 a u n
on paper. Figured after that that if sawa
hoopsnake with his tail in his mouth racinga
bicycle along a prairie road and got IL down
in black and white somebody would turn
up a scientific report from Bacchus, or
some other ancient with habits of his own,
and show that Rome fairly rotated with that
kind!'
Don't forget the barber pole snake,
came the reminder as the Texan paused
to mediate on his wrongs.
"Oh, that chap said he. HE gets his
name from his gay stripes. He doesn't
look dangerous because he hasn't got the
fiat head that we're told stands for danger.
But the thing to do with him is to stand at
a respectful distance and throw rocks at
him.
II he starts your way, you get unhitch
and move along. He's n sort Of cousin OF
the cobra. and his bite means trouble,
won't say it's as fatal as that of the hooded
Indian Teptlle. I've never seen Case
myself but l know of child who was
bitten by the harlequin, as they call the
barber-pole in some countries, and died in
few hours.
Dogs that will tackle rather, me ccGsin
or copperhead will run, trembling all over,
at sight of the barber pole. The people
who live where ii is common say that there
is no antidote for the venom
isn't whiskey any use?" asked the little
man, who had started all the trouble.
There's another fake" said the Texan;
"the most dangerous fake Of all. The one
thing a man wants to leave alone when
bitten by any kind of venomous snake is
whiskey II sets the heart working fast
and helps TO distribute the poison through
the blood throughout the system.
THE best method, IL you're not in reach
of medical aid, is to tie a cord or handker-
chief tight above the bite, cut around 1t,
and suck the blood. Whiskey for snake
bites is about as good as carbolio acid for
sunburn.'
"But in case like this suggested the
little man amicaby, reaching for the bell:
The Texan arose and looked carefully
around the room.
AS see no snakes present" replied the
Texan "and in the interests OF scientific
truth, don't care if do