Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1851-185?, 1852-10-06
MAsGNAAMMN
rbe snake-Bitten Dutohman.
volume ?.

man descent, ana accent, as MS speech VIII
indicate. Old man Sweighoifcr had once
..rrei as a member Of the Legislature and
"a, therefore, no fool )" and as he haG long,
commanded a volunteer corps Of rustic mill
IA he could hardly be supposed inclined to
c,uarlicc. Ills son Peter was his only SOM
, srapping lad Of seventeen, and upon old
Peter and young Peter dovolved the principal
cares and tolls Of the old gentlemans farm
now and then assisted by the old lady and
her two bouncing daughters-for it is very
common in that State to see the women and
girls at work in the felds--and upon extra
occasions by some hired hands.
Well, one warm day, in haying time, old
Peter and young Peter were "hard at il"
IN the meadow, when the old man drops his
.,ythe and bawls out" o mine Gott Peter. y
WHAT'S de matter fader ?" answers the
son, Strengthening up and looking towards his
.irc
60 mine Gott, Peter, again cried the old
man.
"Dundcr" echoes young Peter, hurry
inc up to the old man. "Fader what is de
matter ?"
20, mine Gott, Peter der shnake bit mine
Ieg."
If anything in particular was capable Of
frightening young Peter, it was snakes, for he
had once nearly crippled himself for life by
tramping upon a crooked stick which clamped
lis ankle and 30 Mortified the youngster, that
he liked to have fallen through himself
Attic word snake, young Peter fell back
nimbly as a wire dancer. and bawlcd IL
turn,
Where is de shnake ?"
Aup mine trowsis, Petor-O, mine
Got.!'
20. mine Gott " echoed Peter junior.
" Kin him.. fader-kill him -
No-a, no-a; he kill me, Peter; como
come quick-git off mine trOwsis :"
But the youngsters cowardicc overcamc
his flial love, while his fear lent strength to
n, lers, and he started like a scared locomo-
tive to call the old burly Dutchman who was
IN distant part Of the field, to give his faith
or lit with the snake Old Jake, the far
mcr assistant, came bundling along as soon
as he heard the news, and passing by the
fence whereon Peter aud his boy had
lung their lnsey woolsey vests, Jake
grabbed one Of the garments, and hurried to
oll man Peter, who still managed to keep
on his pins, although he was quaking and hut-
terng ike an aspen leaf in June gale Of
wind
80, mine Gott come-come quick, va
cob"
Vat you got, Peter, ch ? shnakc ?"
Yaw, yaw. Come, come Yacob He
bite me al to picces-hcrc, aup mine leg"
Old Jake was not particularly sensitive to
fear but few people, young or old, arc dead
70 alarm, when "pizen," reptile is making
a levy. Gathering up the stiff dry stalK Of
stalwart weed, old Jake told the boss to stand
steady, and he would at least stun the snake
by rap or two, if ho did not kill it stone
dead and old Peter, less 10th to have his leg
broken than to be bitten TO death by the viper
designated the spot to strike, and old Jake
let him have it! The first blow broke the
weed, and knocked old Sweighoher of his
pegs and into hay-cock.
90" roarcd old Peter, you broke mine
lee. and dc tam shnake's gone"
"Vore? Vere?" cried old Jake, moving
lriskly about and scanning very narrowly the
Garth he stood upon.
Never mind him, Yacob, help me aup-
1'll 60 home.
Put on your ycsht den; here it is" says
the old crout-eater gathering up his boss, and
trying to get the garment upon his lumpy |
back. The moment old Peter made this ef-
fort he grew livid in his face-his hair stood
on end like "squills upon the frightful pOr-
kinpinc," as Mrs. Partington observes; he
shook-his teeth chattered' and
his knees knocked a RATTATToo accompania-
mcnt.
90! Yacob. carry me home. I'm deaf as
nltsw
"Vat? Ish nudder shnake in your trow-
ics 2"
"No-a-lookl I'm swelt all aup!-Mine
vcsht won't 60 on mine back o! o! mine
Gottl"
"Tun'ner and blixin% cried old Jake as
he took the same conclusion, and with might
aud main, scared into most wonderful feat
Of physical activity and strength, lugged and
carried the boss some quarter to half mile
to the house.
Young Peter had skinned it for home at
the earliest stage Of the dire proceedings, and