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SCORCHED SNAKES. ["Ottawa Weekly Republican," 31 Aug 1899, page 4, column 4] Messrs. Burns and King, of Minneola vicinity, recently had a lively experience in which there was an admixture of various kinds of fearsome elements. Burns, it appears, had purchased a big hollow tree of King, intending to convert it into a feed trough, and King kindly agreed to help cut and lower it to the ground, a rather diffcult operation if the trunk was to be preserved from damage. The other day the two went out to the timber to do the job. There was a good sized hole in the trunk near the ground, and before operations were commenced King intruded his head and took a glance at the interior. His curiosity was quickly satisfied; he came to an erect posture about ten feet from the tree at one jump, with eyes obtruding and hair bristling. "Burns," he gasped, "if there aint ahay'rick o'snakes in that there hole I'm the biggest liar on the creek. Take ye a look, man!" Mr. Burns, however, had implicit confidence in Mr. King's correctness of vision and veracity- he declined to pursue personal investigation. But he wanted that hollow trunk. He needed it; and beside, he had bought it. But he was shy in the matter of practically manipulating a cord or two of live rattlesnakes, and he looked helplessly at King. "It's easy," said King, divining the other's situation." We'll smoke 'em out," and supplying action to his words he collected a bunch of hay and stuffed it into the hole in the tree. A match was applied- and then the two men climbed an adjacent tree- instantly the ground was streaked with wriggling snakes. The men on the roost watched the host of reptiles glide into a cornfield in safety, choked awhile in thick smoke, and then descended to find the prized tree burned beyond, usefulness, while a lively conflagration threatened general destruction to the adjacent LeMasters premises. They put in the rest of the day carrying water to put out the fire.
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