Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-01-27
SEND THRILLING TALE
Of TENNESSEE SNAKE
Two Former Washington Boys Tell
of Fearful Adventure With
Six-Foot Reptile.
Monster Is Slain With a Slash in
the Nick of Time and Both Mar
rators Certify to Same.

A black-and- white spotted snake six
feet long no longer roameth in the
mountains of Tennessee. There may
be other black -and-white spotted ami
mails" of the reptilian variety that
squirm their way around the mouIk,
tains in 1.-THE Knoxville section, but one
particular one. possessed of "a very
large mouth and teeth" will make no
more attempts on the lives of two
former members of the Hill Top base
ball club of Washington.
And why not? Because the animal
was cut in two with lone trusting
slash,' that's why not.
From Knoxville James S. Kelly and
William b. Mcmahon tell their own
story, and by telling it early in the
year have d big lead on all compete
tors who may tell snake stories dur
ing 1915.
we are James S. Kelly and William
b. McMahon," states d letter received
by The Star. formerly of the Hill Top
base bail club of Your city We have
had d little experience while travelling
south, which We wish to have inserted
in The Evening Star.
Leaving our hotel one morning
early" Messrs. Kelly and Mcmahon
succinctly relate, we crossed the Ten
nessee river at near point here south
make this section SO beautiful
Came in Contact With Very Snake.
Even snakes, soon to squrm, do not
allow the narrators to forget to
boost" for the home state. Which is
IS il should be. of course.
~ short way UP the mountain We
came in contact with d very snake
In the excitement of the narration the
authors evidently forgot the adjective
large and all unwittingly coined a
Surely that sort of snake were a snak Ike
to be feared above all other monsters
that roam the mountains.
But hist
We came in contact with very
snake. in d sort of sauatting position
in an old rotten trunk of tree. But
as soon as the animal noticed US, he
at once changed to springiug posi-
tion, gradually but steadily stiffening
his coils, it appeared, and his piercing
eyes watching every muscle move in
bodies.
so, realizing our danger. my friend
Immediately warned me to be as still
possible, and in second, it seemed
he jumped toward the tree, and at the
same time quickly tossing his jack
knife to me.
Took One Trusting Slash.
Then the snake"-the very snake
''perpleAed at his holiness. made one
powerful spring right past me to my
friend As he did. took one trusting
slash at the animal. which immediatel
proved fatal, almost cutting him il
two.
But I wish namely to state" con
tinues the giver of the trusting slash.
my gratitude toward my friend. VIII,
risked his life in tracting the
snakes attention away from me, 70
had ] missed with the knife il woul,
have been a short day for both hin
and |.
THE snake was six feet long, blacl
and white spots, with a very larg
mouth and teeth. | forgot TO state
was directly under the tree"
SO euGeth this chronicle of Damon
and Iythias up to date. The nice par
OF the whole story is that the letter 4
signed by both Damon and I'ythias s.
TO both goes the credit for giving tn
trusting slash" and TO both is graft
tude due for Turing the very snake
20 its doom.