OCR Text |
Show A Dangerous Handful. A Georgia farmer, living in rather an obscure part of the state, whose labors are Euch us to compel him to be in tbe field much of the time, says tbat one day ha wns engaged in clearjns up a field covered with a thick underj:rowLh of bnsbes and briers, and hud employed two negroes to help liim. The three men built a lire in the middle of tbe field, and gathered the brush in tbeir bauds and burned it up. I was working at some little distance from the Ore, and of course bad to travel back and forLh with every handful. I bad just returned from the fire, aud had stooped to pick up another handful of brush, when I was conscious that I bad bold of a snake, and mechanically tightened my grip. I looked down and baw that I bad a good ized rattlesnake. I had grabbed him by tbe neck in such a position tbat so long as I kept a tight hold be could not strike. As soon as the snake saw tbat be could neiihor get away nor strike me, he wound his body around my arm, wbkh was bare to the elbow, and attempted to pull bis head through my fingers. I tell you, 1 never until tbat moment re.iliy.ed what tremendous strength there was in a snake's body; it seemed almost as if my arm were beiug pulled to pieces. I had grabbed bis neck between my fore and middle fingers, so that I was at a great di.sadvnntaize: but I knew tbat if be once got his head free I should be struck not onco only, but as many times as he pleased; so I held on and squeezed for dear life. I shouted to the negroes to come over and kill him, and they enme at once; but as noon as they saw what it was 1 had bold of they wouid not come near me. Nothing that 1 could say neither threats nor persuasions per-suasions would Induce them to give me help. So all I could do was to bold on and squeeze my sn3ko. After what Beemed an age, and when I was alxjiit ready to drop from exhaustion, I felt tho coil.s begin to loosen, and with that encouragement I squeezed harder tiian ever. Gradually tbe snake relaxed its grip, nnd at hut the body hung limp and motionless from my hand. I walked over aud dropped it into the fire, and I tell you I watched it burn with a mingled sensation sen-sation of relief and thankfulness. Youth's Companion. |