Show SNAKE SUICIDE A battler with three fanan afi hla mortal coil A united states cavalryman stationed at fort meade S D writes to forest and stream as follows in regard to the self destruction of a three fanged rattlesnake As to the suicide of the creature I 1 am forced to ask for an explanation the snake at first sight coiled up in the usual manner for a prime strike made a vicious lunge at my legging then drew back and closely scrutinized me from hat to shoe instantly a change of expression came over his features and ferocity gave way to a look thai have been born of disgust and resignation I 1 watched him closely not knowing what might be his next move he suddenly astonished me by plunging headlong into the belle fourche motionless he sank and lay at full length at the bottom I 1 continued to watch him until the last vestige of his breath had risen to the placid surface in a pearly bubble and then with the aid of a stick I 1 raised him from the water placed him in the sunshine and satisfied myself that life was extinct I 1 had never known or heard of a rattler taking to water and here t was confronted by the plainest case of suicide by drowning in broad daylight I 1 have since tjien lost all faith in snakes I 1 have adopted and discarded every theory that might offer a solution in this case and am now dm en to the belief that this snake deliberately libera tely because it had committed the blunder of wasting a well meant fanged strike on a united states cavalryman hereafter I 1 shall travel incognito in those parts |