The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-06-01

l y
"Of course we will. F"
every good. The first thing t.
do is 10 stand still where you are, ant
search with your eyes every inch o
the ground you can see."
Now this open space was almos
clear, the only thing growing in j
being a sparse and meagre crop o
huckleberry bushes not more than ;
foot in height. If the rattlesnake were
there we could probably discover him
For some minutes we looked anc
looked, but could see no sign of him
Thinking that he might be lying un
der the shady myrtles surrounding
the open patch, I sent the boys into
the bushes, with instructions to keer
in the thicket about ten yards in from
the edge, and beat carefully all around
the circumference of the clear spot.
explained to them that if they kept
too close to the edge they would prob
ably come upon the snake, and maybe
one of them might get bitten but by
keeping about ten yards in, and walk
ing in line one behind the other, the
sight of them would cause the snake
to shift his quarters, and probably
make him go back to the hollow
stump.
In order to watch for this very
move, I myself took up my post be-
hind the trunk of the fallen oak,
which, as I have said, lay across a
pine Stump that held it up about three
feet from the ground.
I pulled the brim of my hat down
over my eyes so as to see the better,
and then, leaning my elbows on the
fallen trunk, watched constantly in
front on the bushes behind which the
boys were beating. My six-foot stick
was laid. along the trunk in front of
me, and while / stayed there, leaning
on my elbows, I kept my hold on it
with both hands.
Of course / was as motionless as it
/ were part of the trunk itself. The
only bit of me that moved was my
eyes. If snake or any other animal
had come into the clearing, it would
really have considered me to be part
of the old PROSTATE oak, or at least a
natural fixture in the place, like the
stumps and tree trunks. No doubt
to the rattlesnake we were now seek
ing I was just that and no more, for
when the boys had finished their fruit
less circuit and had come out again in
the clearing, one of them at once
cried:
"Look out Look out There S
the rattlesnake right at your foot p
did not move muscle. On the
contrary, 1 bent every nerve in my
body to keep quiet.
my feet and legs must stay still, "
1 thought, ''but 1 must see him."
Slowly, very slowly I bent my head
and looked down.
Yes, I was in predicament, for
there was large rattlesnake five feet
long and as thick as mans arm.
He was slowly coiling himself be-
tween my feet, the coil resting on my
shoes.
Now 1 was not greatly alarmed
until the dog ran up close by, with
his tail waving. The sight of the
dog so scared the snake that be began
to rattle. 1t was the most terrible
signal Of danger that I ever heard in
my life. I have heard rihe-bullets
whizzing over my head and seen them
tearing up the earth around me, but
they never made me feel half SO grave
as did that snake buzzing on my toes.
The dog heard the rattle and see
ing the snake, began to jump round,
barking at it, now at this side and
now at that. The foolish animal
dashed in nearer and nearer to the
snake, which kept its rattle going
and its head pointed constantly at its
barking enemy. As for me, I knew
that was not in real danger so long
as kept my feet and legs motionless.
To the snakes mind, that excited
dog was the danger he dreaded, while
was to him buttress of strength
behind him-a part of the fallen trunk
on which I was leaning.
I knew snakes we'll, so I held my
ground.
"Call off that dog P' I shouted to
the bows. "Don't YOU see he's going
to get killed?''
They called and called in vain.
But finally one of the boys flung a
stick at the dog, which made him re-
treat some ten yards or so.
To make matters worse the boy
with the gun leveled it at the snake,
crying out to me:
"Stay still, mister +! Stay still and
I'll blow his head offp
''Put away that gun this instant !
Don't you see you'd shoot my feet? !?
Keep still, all of you, and I'll man
age this snake. I'm not in half the
danger you think. Now, boys, do
Just as say. Don't utter one word,
but just stand where you are in silence.
Take off your caps and begin waving
them over your heads"
The boys did as l told them. They
waved their caps vigorously and the
snake did just as I knew he would
do. He turned his head toward the
boys, who appeared to threaten him,
and then he kept steadily watching
Me he needed not, for me he knew
not for, although spoke, and even
shouted to the boys and to the dog,
yet I stayed all the time motionless,
so that he never was aware that l
lived. Iproved years ago that sounds
are lost on snakes, for they have nc
ears, internal or external, and could
not hear if they wanted to. But they
are quick to see moving things, and
quick to take fright, too, if the thing
is large or unusual. However, if the
movement is made very, very slowly,
the snake will take little notice of it
or none at all, if it is slow enough.