A SNAKE STORY.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2855, 9 April 1878, Page 2

A SNAKE STORY.

A Texas paper tells the following :— "From a gentleman, who arrived in this city yesterday morning, we learn the following concerning a nest of rattle-snakes which was discovered by Mr M'Fherson, a farmer living north of here. Being in quest of firewood, he cut down a tree on his place, which fell across a large brush pile. In a few moments afterwards he heard a rattling, and turning, saw seven or eight large rattlesnakes within fifteen feet of him. The tree in falling had caught one of the snakes, burying a part of its body in the ground, which caused it to writhe and strike about. Several.. of its companions, doubtless, not knowing what to make of such proceedings, attacked, and soon succeeded in killing it, after which they directed, their attention to Mr M'Fherson, who, seeing the. fix he was in, ran off to a neighboring house, and, getting a gun, returned. Everything was quiet, and none, save the dead snake, was to be seen. Upon throwing a stick into the bush, however, he brought out eleven snakes, when he fired, wounding two of them, and the ethers attacked them as they had the first, and finished them. While reloading his gun, he heard a rattle behind him, and, in aiming to jump out of the way, jumped near one of the snakes and was bitten on the left leg. Tying his handkerchief about the bite to prevent the too free circulation of the poison in his system, he made for the house; The wound began to swell rapidly, while he was at the same time suffering great pain. A quart of whiskey was procured at a neighboring house, which he drank without the slightest inconvenience. It produced very little signs of intoxication. The wound was sucked by his heroic wife, and the venom removed. A t last accounts he was doing very well, and no fear is entertained of his recoverj."