The Democratic advocate., 1907-07-19

lay across pine stump that held 1t up
about three feet from the ground.
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 I stayed there,
leaning on my elbows, kept my hold on
it with both hands.
OF course I was as motionless as If
were part of the trunk itself. The only
bit of me that moved was my eyes. Ii
snake or any other anipal had come into
the clearing, it would really have consid-
cred me to be part of the old prostrate
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 | was just that and no more, for when
the boys had finished their fruitless circuit
and had come out again in the clearing,
one of them at once cried:
"Look out Look out There's the
rattesnake right at your foot =
did not move a muscle. On the con-
trary, I bent every nerve in my body to
keep quiet.
''My feet and legs must stay still, L
thought, "but | must see him.
Slowly, very slowly bent my head and
looked down.
Yes, was in a predicament, for there
was large rattlesnake five feet long and
as thick as a mans arm He was slow y
coiling himself between my feet, the coil
resting on my shoes.
Now 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 he began to rattle. 1t was the most
terrible signal of danger that ever heard
in my life. I have heard rife-bullets
whizzing over my head and seen them tear
ing up the earth round me, but they never
made me feel half so grave as did that
snake buzzing on my toes.
The dog heard the rattle and seeing 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 bark
ing enemy. As for me, | knew that | was
not in real danger SO long as l 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 [ was
leaning.
Iknew snakes well, so held my ground.
''Call off that dogr' | shouted to the
boys. tDon't you see he's going to get
killed p
They called and called in vain. But
finally one of the boys flung stick at the
dog, which made him retreat some ten
yard, or 50.
TO make matters worse, the boy with
the gun le,eled it at the snake, crying out
to me
Stay still, mister! Stay sill, and I'll
blow his head off =
Put away that gun this instant! Don't
you see you d shoot my feet? Keep still,
all of you, and I'll manage this snake.
m not in half the danger you think.
Now, boys, do just as say. DON utter
one word, but just stand where you are in
silence Take off your caps and begin
waving them over your heads. 2"
The boys did as told them. They
waved their caps vigorously; and the snake
did just as | knew he would do. He
turned his head toward the boys, who ap
peared to threaten him, and them 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 stayed
all the time motionless, so that he never
was aware that I lived. proved years
ago that sounds are lost on snakes, for they
have no 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 move
ment is made very, very slowly, the snake
will take little notice of it-or none at all,
if it is slow enough. Knowing this, |
proceeded in the right and only way to get
rid of my unpleasant visitor.
Slowly, SO slowly that you could hardly
detect my motion, brought my stick,
gripped firmly in both hands, into verti-
cal position over the rafting snake. Grad
ually, inch by inch, its point imperceptibly
descended. Now it was within foot Of
him; now within six inches; now within
three; now actually inside his coil at the
very spot where 1 wanted it. His rattle
was occasionally buzzing against my leg,
but there was no danger to me, for he
never once noticed either me or my stick,
but kept his eyes ever turned toward the
boys.
To lose my head meant to lose my life.
The end of the stick, as | have said,
was now within his coil, at the only point
where it would be surely effective. 1 cal
culated this to nicely. 1t was at the
exact spot on the snakes side where half
of his weight lay on one side of it, and half
on the other. Over the old oak trunk,
gently and imperceptibly, / leaned forward
and to one side, bracing myself carefully
SO as to be able to throw all my power into
one sudden jerk. Then, just when | was
quite ready, that hitherto unfelt stick point
few outward and upward; and the aston
ished rattlesnake went sailing through the
air, not knowing what on earth had hap
pened to him.
Some twenty yards off he landed near
the dog; and that unfortunate brute, seeing
the long flying thing ahghting, rushed at
it, and was instantly bitten in the neck.
I could not help him. In five minutes
he was dead.
The boys gave one shout when they
saw the snake sent so cleverly sailing away
from me through the air; but now the sight
of their dying dog reused their anger, so
that I could hardly restrain them from
shooting the rattlesnake, which was coiled
and rattling where he fell.