The Washington times., 1910-03-18

the smooth trail ahead Of me like a
SPfhler until he disappeared, ana
looked around 10 see if he had bullt
III q rattlesnakc anywhere
otten i'm the desert OF the mountain
valleys / have found traces Of a road
runner $ work. a road-Uunner Is long
legged bird He likes smooth ground
Where he can take long running start,
ana the way he can make those body
legs iiy Is a sight. A road-runner's 5 CHIEF
BUSINESS Is killing rattlesnakes. When ne
nhds one asleep he gathers lot or
cactus thorns. Then he builds a circle
or thOrnS all around the snake lying
there asleep in its coil, turns all tie
points carefully in toward the center.
steps back a little. and begins to make
d racket The snake wakes up. sees the
rudd-ruuGeT. looks the hedge all over,
uuds that he can't get through any
where, and makes up his mind 20 die on
the spot He strikes himself with his
own fangS and i'm a few minutes it's all
over Tor the snake. Then the road
runner squaWks couple of times. CLEARS
away the cactus thorns. and has
ratter for lunch.
Finds the Victims.
This particular bird has disappeared
But, as luck would have it, 1 happened
10 find his victim out in the middle Of
clear patch Of sand. The snake had just
awakened, I guess. for he was twisting
and crawling slowly around and around
inside the hedge. Now and then he'd
lift his head high and start 10 slide
across. bat as soon as his neck touched
the tEOrns ned draw back quickly and
20 s4Ulrmug around again There
WcTCut amy openings I'm the fence
To hurry matters Il little I picked uD
switch and tapped the ratUrT over
iHe head with 10. lie ioI ln-J . gre q
rage, and IN a minute or SO Inc turned
deliberately and struck his lauES into his
own body down near the tail He pulled
The fangs free and struck again and
again. slowly and heavily ] didu't waste
any more time waiting 60 S"e him die.
tie was practically a dead rIttlcr then.
] didn't want his Tattlcs because they
always said IL was bad luck TO cut OF
tIe ratuers of ratuer that rad time
ID" sLl4sy himself before he died HIS
blood is fun of poison. and If YOU hap
pen 10 get u on yCuT knife blade and
cut yourself afterward there may be
trO"blc-
was Up i'm Pig Tahunca canyon now,
Keeping my eyes open for deer. And sure
enough, not long before sunset / ran into
TWO doe and a fine bucn. They were
standing an "a group IN easy range, right
ln a little gully
Pulls the Trigger.
Up came the $40 Winchester 10 my
shoulder drew a fine bead ON the buck
and pulled the trigger y puff OF dirt
few up into the air from the bank just
behind my buck, who Dit out up the bill
could hear Hin crashing through the
thichets- The two does tore of into
the brush and disappeared
For moment ] stood there the most
disappointed boy I'm the world. I had
been cock-sure OF dropping my same,
and az I had done was 90 raise the dust
beyond him followed his trail for
little way ign the dusk then gave It uU
RE was badly scared at least, and there
wasn't a chance that he'd stop running
for miles.
When / got back my biz brother met
me.
''WeH. Jim, did YOU get a decr?" ne
asked.
40. 7 had chance. but I missed" 1
said Elo8miIy.
Are you sure You missed2'
7 told him an about IT,
''JiW,' said he. IN bet you hit that