TX BIOS:  Snakey Joe
   Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.
   
   Washington, 1994.
   
   Preceding element provides place and date of transcription only.
   
   This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.
   
   For more information about this text and this American Memory
   collection, refer to accompanying matter.
   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   0001
   
   Miller [?]
   
   Folklore
   
   NOV 14 1936 Cowboy Folkstuff - Range Lore
   
   Howard County
   
   District 18.
   
   Mrs. J. O. Miller--P. W.
   
   Dist. 18. Wordage 460
   
   241 [DEL: Page 1. :DEL] S. 241 "HOW SNAKEY JOE GOT HIS NAME
   
   As Related By: [Red Wiggins?], 60 odd year old wandering cowpuncher.
   
   Related to: Mrs. J. O. Miller.
   
   Date: September, 1936.
   
   Place: Big Spring, Texas.
   
   Some cowboys were working on the Read Ranch in 1900, which lies in the
   Eastern part of Howard County, where the Rattlesnake and Wild Horse
   Mountains loom against the horizon.
   
   These cowboys were very busy making ready for a fall roundup of
   several thousand head of three-year old steers and to do some branding
   of the calves. Red and Joe started to catch their mounts, which were
   Spanish pintoes.
   
   "Well", said Joe, " where did the wrangler stake our ponies? Look! the
   hobbles are broken."
   
   Taking his lasso, he@ started to find his horse. Not watching very
   carefully where he stepped, he stepped in a prairie dog cell and was
   bitten by a rattler on the ankle. The warning rattle of the snake did
   not attract his attention. Not having a first-aid kit with him he gave
   it a generous dose of tobacco juice, and trusting it to Lady Lack went
   on his way after his horse. Becoming tired and worried about his
   accident, he sat down to meditate upon the situation. However, not
   noticing where he chose to sit, the mate of the other rattler was
   underneath him. After a few minutes of relaxation, he got up and,
   deciding that he was not seriously hurt, made another attempt to catch
   the pony, while the snake, all unknown, dangled from the seat of his
   trousers. Finally after a rather strenuous chase, he suceeded ia
   catching the cayuse. Picking his saddle and tossing it on the horse
   and tightening the girth with a final click, he started to mount, but
   that was another question. The horse scented the snake and would not
   stand.
   
     NOTE: C12 - 2/11/41 - Texas
     
   0002The snake in its mad scramble trying to loose its entangled fangs
   made itself felt by its [DEL: [?] :DEL] weight. Joe looked around and
   saw it.
   
   "WOW"! and loudly cursing, he threw up his hands trying to hold the
   reins in one hand and with the other, locate the trouble, all the
   while running in circles
   
   His pal Red stood matching him, dying with laughter, throwing his
   sombrero in the air, and enjoying the sight. Seeing Joe had almost
   become exhausted and the frightened horse had begun to trample him,
   Red made two long jumps and grabbed the snake by one hand, and the
   horse with the other and separated the trio.
   
   The time had passed and noon-hour had arrived. While seated around the
   campfire, with the branding irons sizzing in the fire, they were
   served the famous dish of son-of-a-gun and black coffee as Red related
   the morning incident. All eyes and laughter turned toward Joe, crying
   "Snakey Joe!"

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