Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1891 — Dangerous Handful. [ARTICLE]

Dangerous Handful.

A Georgia farmer, living in rather an obscure part of the State, whose labors are such as to compel him to be in the field much of the time, says that one day last year he was engaged in clearing up a field covered with a thick undergrowth of bushes and briars, and had employed two negroes to help him. The three men built a fire in the middle of the field, and gathered the brush in their hands and burnt it up. I was working at some little distance from the fire, and of course had to travel back and forth with every handful. I had ju I returned from the fire, and had stooped to pick up another handful of b*ush, when X was conscious that I had hold of a snake, and mechanically tightened my grip. I looked down and saw that I had a good-sized rattlesnake. I had grabbed him by the neck in such a position that so long as I kept a tight hold he could not strike. As soon as the snake saw that he could neither get away nor strike me, he wound his body around my arm, which was bare to the elbow, and attempted to pull his head through my fingers. I tell you, I never until that moment realized what tremendous strength there was in a snake’s body; it seemed almost as if my arm were being pulled to pieces. I had grabbed his neck between my fore and middle fingers, so that I was at a great disadvantage; but I knew that if he once got his head free, I should be struck not once only, but as many times as be pleased; so I held on and squeezed for dear life. I shouted to the negroes to come over snd kill him, and they came at once; but as soon as they saw what it was J had hold of, they would not come near me. Nothing that I could say, neither threats nor persuasions, would induce them to give me help. So all I could do was to hold on and squeeze my snake. After what seemed an age, and when ■I was about ready to drop from exhaustion, I felt the coils begin to loosen, and with that encouragement I squeezed harder than ever. Gradually the snake relaxed its grip, and at last the body hung limp and motionless from my hand. I walked over and dropped it into-the fire, and I can tell you I watched it burn with a mingled sensation of relief and thankfulness. >