CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
125 
tion era in the South, coached his sons with the most painstak¬ 
ing care in the art of constructing and operating a mortar, and 
such training now stood him in well, in that he had never known 
luxury. 
Penetrating the “rough” for the purpose of conducting a 
casual inspection, the first thing which gained his attention was 
a “cotton-tail” rabbit go bounding off through the briars. Im¬ 
mediately came that same familiar whir-r-r-r. It was apparent 
that he was becoming more infuriated with the passing of every 
second. He knew that he was almost upon him because of the 
sickening odor of his musk emitted when thoroughly angered. 
With the aid of his well-trained eyes he could not, for the life 
of him, locate him. By this time his hearing was becoming 
confused—he could not depend upon his ears any longer. 
Turning his head from side to side, then facing the rear—even 
looking straight up overhead (where he knew he was not) he 
seemed to be immediately in front of him. This occasioned 
him no particular cause for alarm, he being too familiar with 
the tricks of the rattler. The latter appeared conscious of the 
advantage he enjoyed, notunlike the lion that remains crouched 
1—“Big Ben” and his keeper traveled from town to town where they 
had opportunity to meet the finest people.* 
2, 3—Going forth one fine day in early spring to survey his farm for 
the forthcoming year he concluded that this broom-sedge lowland could 
be put to better account than housing diamond-backs and luring rabbits 
thither for their sustenance. A fight of no little intensity ensued. Uncle 
Dave, reckoning with one’s presence, had taken his potato hook along. 
Suddenly a cotton-tail went bounding away to the timbered land—simul¬ 
taneously sounded the whir-r-r-r of one’s rattles, then the fight was on. 
His eyes, trained though they were, failed to reveal him. Soon his hear¬ 
ing became so confused that he could not tell from whence the sound 
came. Bringing his long-handle hook into play he soon combed him out 
of the straw litter, settling all accounts with Mr. Diamond-back. No 
mystery at all—the rattler being so enraged—He had a date to take 
Mr. Rabbit to lunch when Uncle Dave butted in—an uninvited guest. 
However, the fight was well worth the making—he grew himself sev¬ 
eral barrels of rice on this lowland, long since abandoned to other crops. 
4— If the Old Master of the Art is present when one is located he is 
almost invariably, by reason of his seniority, given the pleasure and 
honor of fixing the noose upon the neck of the brute. 
5 — As an added precaution men holding the bag use an oak limb with 
spur on end with which to hold the bag open. This is important. 
6— Not infrequently, however, he waives such right and honor, delegat¬ 
ing one of his lieutenants he has so painstakingly trained to perform 
such task. 
*See story, pages 102 and 103. 
