The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-15
HALF A SNAKE PUTS
UP A LIVELY BATTLE
William schIey's Experience With q
Rather That Fought in Sections.

WILLIAMSPORT,P Pa, Aug. Ii. =
William Schley,s of decatur township
has resolved never again to cut rat
tlesnake 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 inn
punity, but when he gets greedy and
tries to make three there is apt to be
trouble. incidentally, Mr.. Schley has
learned that as snake-bite medicine
common chicken can give cards and
spades to whiSky-a remedy Wh1cn
heretofore has been regarded as an IN
dispensable adjunct to life in this
mountainous region.
TT happened up here In Sharer
gap" said Mr.. Schley. i 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 I was crossing the road to
the patch when 1 saw big RATHER right
in front of me. In my time have kill
ed some big ones, but none that could
hold a feather to that fellow.
For a moment 1 stood admiring
him and wondering how l could catch
him. He seemed peaceable enough,
coiled up there in the road, and
thought he might stay there until ]
could get a crotched stick in the, woods
and catch him. I had 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 turned
my back it made a lunge for the horses
leg. l brought the Ratchet down on the
RATHER and when I lifted it there were
two snakes where there had been but
one before. I had cut this fellow in
two, and yet I 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 moment he was ready
to strike the horse. So again my
hatchet went down, but he SWerved
aside and let me have those fangs
right in the forefnger of my right hand
here.
"WelI, I tried to shake him off, but
he wouldn't shake worth a cent In my
excitement I forgot that I had horse
and buggy so near. at hand, but l did
remember that Chris Sharer lived
about five miles from where l was, and
I started over the hill towards his
house put my foot down on the end
of the snake, and pulled. my hand free
from his fangs. II ran faster than be-
fore until I reached .Sharer's home.
my finger had swollen to twice it's
natural Size anu Hly udIu WdS Dduly
swollen. Sharer5 at once bound my arm
to stop the circulation and then poured
whisky into me. ifs
"Sharer killed a 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.. Shar-
err then made a epotltice of soap and
the white of an egg; and put it on the
wound G.
'HThis relieved the pain and soon the
liquor that / hadopoured into me sent
me to sleep. I remained at Mr.. Shar-
er's house all day and then went home.
Although the swelling had gone my
arm felt sore, and 1 expect it will be
some time before / can use the Ratchet
again."