Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-05-25

! Pcn'. How he managed no ono ever
knew, not even himself; bu; certain il is
about half an hour afterwards he was
found lying fast asleep on the body of
the snake, the head Oft the reptile havinu
/ been cut clean OIL by stroke Of Toms
sabre.
/ But perhaps the coolest, tho most de
IiermIneG proof Of MS rcSulution.wns one
/ that happened a few days before was
introduced to HIM. PhiIan, like many
others IN India, chose to keep mp many
! oil his European habits, and amongst
others, that OF preserving neatly fitted
up dressing room, with tabie,on which
nc was able TO have constantly dispruy
ed the SILVER ornaments and mother oil
PeIrl handled razorS, contained i'm a
splendid case given to him by an Old
aunt, when hc sailed from Europe. Ills
boots were ranged with care along the
wall, his whips hung round, sporting
prints studded the chunam IN compost
non, or shining mortar resembling mar.
bic sides of the chamber. In fine he
had regu'ur English boxing dressrng
room.
Now one morning Tom was pulling
On a boot when he suddenly felt some
/ thing IN 1t. |; was cold and clammy .
the chill GIFTS nature struck through
/ the thin silk stocking he wore. II NOV
! ed, II wrlthed; il was evidently a snake
Who can imagine, far less portray. the
agony OF the poor fellow. WHO at once
be IcveI he was dead man! Some men.
indeed may almost say everyone, would
nave paused under these circumstances.
or attempted TO have Withdrawn his foo,
IN either ofthese cases death would have
been the instant result. This all flash
ed, with rapidiiy which nothing but
thought possesses, across the mind OF
Tom. The snake was under his foot.
evidently pinned down. striving
10 turn Itselfm order to bite lie al
once saw his only hope. lie pulled on
The boot with conSideral lc swiltncss, and
starting up, stamped on the iron cdge
| OF the Ncullioa blinds, continuing to d,
50 with the very fury Of despair Tor near.
~ minute, 10 the surprise and horror
OF his surdar, who II ought his master
had suddenly gone mad. Then sinking.
overcome with agitation and lar que, on
th1 chair, he ordered The man To pail OIL
his boot lie did 5 ., when out rolled q
small green snake, one of the most dead
y OF Its kin /, crushed to death, ilmrned
To perfect Jelly.
The man who had accomplished such
deeds was justly looked upon as one OF
the bravest men in india.
! dned, shortly after this last exploit
with Tom Philan at his mess. The din
ner passed of with much festivty. Ma
ny had been the proofs of daring re
counted to us OF members of the corps
present, and many the boast of win /.
they intended 10 DO. when suddenly "A
young ensign who was rising from the
table, turned rouId and uttered a pierre.
eng scream. O looked back, every
! eye was directed towards the spot on
which he had glanced, when to our hor
ror, we saw an enormous snake slowly
crawling towards us. In another instant
every soul had risen from his placc.und
we're flying away across the square i'm
front OF the cantonmeni as fast as our
legs would carry us. Tom Philan !cc
the van, shaking with fear, as if the
monster were already coiled round his
limbs. few minutes reflection emboI.
dened some Ut the LaTty TO return. We
found the reptile already dead, despatch
ed by one Of the servants. Ii was a
rock snake an animal wholly innocuous.
1t measured some eight feet long, and
was a beautiful specimen Of its kind.
begged TO have it, in order TO send il
home to some friends in England to pre-.
serve. 1t was given me, aud returned
home with it dangling on my arm.Iaugh
ing at the cowardice displayed by one,
when ably supported, frightened out of
his wits in the midst Of an armed assem-
by by harmless reptile: who had sin
gle handed performed such fcats of yalor
and destroyed scrpents of the most dead
Iy kind.