The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-07-08
HAD LIVELY FIGHT
Man Found Coachwhip Snake No
Mean Antagonist.
mr. q. M. Robbins Of Atlanta Is Ready
to Announce That He Is Not
at All DESTROYS Of Another
Such Bout.

Some folk say a coachsnake WON'T
chase you and tie you to pine tree
ana whip the everlasting daylight out
OF you. They scandalize this ancient
uaWe,on as unscientiic and contra
uictory to the facts and the evil
dence.
Inc defense now calls to the stand
one q. w. Robbins, whose initials NAV
or may not stand for George Wash
ihgton, and who watches at the Dow
man-Dozier plant in Atlanta, Ga, by
night.
Mr. Robbins AYERS that the blamed
coachwhip went as far as pos
sible-he chased Robbins three
times around his own garden to be-
gin with. and when Robbins finally
turned and gave battle he (the coach
whiP lassoed him and the ensuing
wrestling match simply ruined large
part Of an acre OF excellent radishes
and some fine young onions.
Robbins says he was out in the gar
den pulling some radishes when he
discovered six-foot coachwhip
snake watching him balefully Mind
IL! or the tradition, and despite the
absence OF pine trees, Robbins turned
and fed. and the coachwhip after
him. Round and round the garden
patch fed Robbins, the coachwhIp still
pursuing him.
where Robbins was forced to pause
Tor breath. Whether the coachwhp
also was shy of wind does not ap-
pear, but he started crawling under
the barn to think 1t over.
Robbins, encouraged by this maneu-
yer and angered at the damage nl-
ready wrought among his garden
sas. grasped the snake by his deli
cately tapering tail and dragged him,
resisting furiously, from beneath the
barn. Instantly the coachwhip
changed his tactics and looped him
self about Robbins neck.
Business picked up at once, and the
warm spring atmosphere was shat
tered by rude ordinations of the
rcugh-and-ready variety. The coach
whip had combination grapevine
and head hold on Robbins, who was
striving to achieve the deadly toe
held made famous by the late Mr..
Gotch
The radish bed was used as a mat,
and the grapple was fast and fu-
rious. 1t is always a difficult matter
TO put toe hold on a large and SCI
entific snake, but Robbins was bat
Ting for his life and few remaining
radishes-and he got the hold.
The first thing Robbins did was to
unwrap the snake from about his
neck. The next thing he did was not
strictly in accord with the wrestling
regulations. Instead OF pinning the
coachwhip's shoulders to the radish
bed. Robbins deliberately and with
malice aforethought popped his enc
my's skull vindictively against the side
OF the barn.
The battle ended there. The snake
measured two inches over two yards.
Elephants Picnic.
An act not down on the program
was given without charge the other
day In the old seaport town of Marble.
mead, Mass when four elephants of n
small circus, named with fine allied
patriotism General Foch, General Per
shing, General Haig and Princess Pat.
jumped stone wall. escaped the cir
Gus and took to the woods. The per
sonnel Of the circus. acrobats. riders.
clowns and canvaNnen. followed. and
SO did many OF The townspeopIe and
haif dozen policemen. but the ele-
plants made the woods first. and there
they spent the day with "a large and
appreciative audience" watching on
the outskirts. Peanuts and bananas
usually temptation to elephants
failed to entice them from their New
England jungle; but as twilight fell,
and habit suggested feeding time. the
big beasts came peacefully out OF the
woods and allowed the trainer and his
assistants to lead them back to the
circus grounds. And all Marblehead
went home to belated suppers.