The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-07-17
SNAKE STORY PERCIPI-
TATES FISH VARIETY.
J. n. Thomas hants US One of the
fiShieSt Fish Stories
Yet.

Editors Republican, was pro-
foundly and absorbingly interested
in Mr.. Wade's snake story that APP
peared in your paper last week.
| was pleased to see the. truth
stranger than, fiction" adage demon
strated with a cloud of witnesses be-
cause it prepares the public credulity
for the reception OF my fish story,
which on account of its unusual, I'M
PARALLEL and overwhelming strang-
ness, have delayed reporting up
til it could be preceded by some well
authenticated mind-staggering nature
story. ! should still hesitate to
hazard my reputation for veracity by
reporting such an unparalleled occu-
renee but for the fact that | can refer
doubling Thomases to such wellknown
witnesses as Eugene Kirby, bud Fen
tress, Jack Walker and Reuben Wright.
The story as | wrote is down in the
afternoon of the most exciting day
ever experienced by Narrows people
is as follows: This has been a red
letter day in Narraws, hair-raising
nerve-wrecking wonder-eXciting day.
The unthinkable the unbelievable the
unnatural has happcnd. \ monster
whose proper habitat is the cold
debth's of the Sea has been discover
ed in placid old Rough river. Eut in
the interest of history / de;a:l. The
monstrous creature was discovered
lying on a low bank of the river by
some boys who fled at orce for the
village excitedly describing the great
Saurian as being larger and longer
than a freight train. Its eyes they
declared were larger than circular saws
and its mouth they described as look
ing much like the opening of tun-
mel. Its lower jaw was studded with
heavy blunt teeth resembling stumps
in clearing and its upper fangs of
which 1t had a double row were like
scythe blades. When disturbed by
the boys the great amphibian plung-
ed into the river and the water dis
placed by its callosal body overlooked
hundreds, of acres of adjacent low
lands. doing immense damage to grow
ing crops and drowned great numbers
of valuable stock.
The shaking of the earth when the
monster plunged into the river attend
ed by the sudden outflow of water
gave rise to the apprehension that
some powerful seismatic disturbance
was taking place and many nervous
people expressed the fear that the end
of the world was at hand. But the
more courageous OF the population. in
Guiding myself, rushed out to the
seat of violence but it was an hour
and twenty six minutes before the
watersw ere calm enough to allow us I
safely approach the river bank. The
great serpent was not visible in the
deep water but a rhythmic ebb and
flow OF the water caused by the mon
ster's heartbeats showed plainly its
hiding place. After a conference of
the bravest of us it was decided that
dynamite would be the most effective
means OF. exterminating the threat
ening monster. Accordingly ton of
dynamite and mile of fuse were pro-
cured and the balance of the story is
short. Explosions terrific Rough river
dry. The drouthy crops for five miles
around beautifully irrigated and New
Orleans papers report a dead sea SER
pent of gigantic proportions floating
in the Gulf of Mexico.
Yours for the truth of history.
]. II. THOMAS.