Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1875 — Fight Between a Rabbit and a Shake. [ARTICLE]

Fight Between a Rabbit and a Shake.

On Wednesday last, while Taft’s coach from Pescadero was entering the canon this side of the toll-house, on its return to San Mateo, Supervisor Steele, who was seated on the outside with Taft, observed a rabbit performing some strange antics in the road ahead of the coach. Mr. Steele called Taft’s attention to it, when the latter slackened his speed, and, holding his horses up, watched the rabbit for a moment. They were sufficiently near by this timefo distinguish everything. The rabbit seemed to have hold of a piece of cloth or ribbon about three feet long; he grasped it in his mouth and tossed it about, he gamboled and frisked with it as a kitten with a ball of yanm. Suddenly the gentlemen looking on were* startled to see one end of the supposed ribbon double and make a half dozen darts at the bead of the rabbit. The latter again grasped and tossed it fully a foot over its head. On reaching the ground the snake, for such it really was, made an attempt to get away; but the rabbit was upon him in an instant, and had him by the head. He shook and tugged at him like a terrier with a rat. At this time Taft started his horses, and as the coach approached the scene of combat the rabbit gave his enemy another toss and scampered away. The snake quickly followed his example; but before he got into the brush on the side of the bank the gentlemen had a chance to observe his size. He was fully three feet long, and about the middle, Supervisor Steele says, he must have measured four inches. This is the first time we ever remember hearing of a rabbit and a snake fighting. Both Messrs. Taft and Steele think that the rabbit would have gbtten away with the honors if there had been no interruption. —San Mateo (Cal.) Times —By the Viginia law, ex-President Jefferson had to give a bond of £3O before he could receive a license to marry Martha Shelton, of Charles City, widow, conditioned that no lawful impediment (to the marriage existed. This ancient bond has now been deposited in the State Library.