Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1893 — Reckless Handling of Rattlesnakes. [ARTICLE]

Reckless Handling of Rattlesnakes.

“It has been said that ‘every man is a oward in the dark,’ but I know onu man who was unable to comprehend what fear is,” said David E. Sanger. His name ia John Junken, and we were schoolmates In Indiana thirty years ago—at a time when rattlesn kes, ■painters’ and other noxious ‘varmints were plentiful. One of John’s favorite amusements when a boy was to provoke a rattlesnake to strike, then, before Ii could recoil, seize him by the tail an u-ing him like a whiplash, snap bi head off. He could erk a rattler’s hern, irom his body every time. He would c imb to the top of a tall hickory i-ae-liug and, wth the assistance of nis (ompanions, bend it to the ground. Ad would then let go but John, who v.ould enjoy the rebound. When but yea's of age he outd.a Israel P - cam’s famous expolit by crawling in u a hoi ow log, dragging a panther out by the tail, and killing It with a hatchet. Lc entered the army at the outbreak of the war, ant, while his gallant conduc’ was fre uently con mended it was denned unwise to confer a commissi, n a a man entirely destitute of prudence iind who fairly reveled in reckless exp oils St. Louis Globe-Democrat.