Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-08-08

broke. and you was mussin' with" replied the
watchman, who. not wing the object ofhis
search, began to feel somewhat alarmed and
queer.
eeThe gentleman to whom you no doubt alludc,' =
continued the doctor blandy, s.may have left this
room by that small back door but he took no un
fair advantages, and have also kept my word
with you to produce him for he came and we
lave both had the pleasure Of drinking with him
within the last five minutes If you wanted 10
take him to the watch-house why didn't you tell
him SO ?"
"Whati Was that ere last fellow in here the
chap as was fetching along to the lookup
Now, who would have know'd that? Pm blow
ed if did" stammered out the bewildered and
disappointed watchman.
The delighted doctor was roaring with laugh
ter, but he could not help saying, ''Now watch
man. if | had thought that you wanted that fellow
would have spoken to him about it,"
..You 90 to the devil" growled out the watch
man. as, with surly air, he moved on dowr
Common street towards the swamp.-N 0. PIC
ANOTHER SroRr OF SNAKE CHARMINe.-Mr
| C. A. Bowen, of New Hampshire. has furnished
the Boston Traveller with the following. The
incidents, it is stated, are strictly true and occur
red in the town OF Danbury, about twenty year:
ago -
An interesting little child only four years o
age, son of Mr.. Davis Ball of that place, used fre
ouentIy to call for bread and milk between its re
gular meals, and when it was given to him ,woulc
lake his dish and 90 out short distance from The
house, sit down upon large stone and eatt. e.
ven at meal times instead of sitting down at the
table with the rest of the family, the child woult
take his plate of potato and butter, and go out Il
his rock and there finish his meal alone. If hi
mother demonstrated and insisted upon his sitting
at the table, he would cry pileously, and at time
utterly refuse to eat anything. This was regard
ed as whim of the child's, and but little notice
was taken of it, aud being the baby, he was al
lowed to have pretty much his own way. He wa
hearty aud rugged, had as much bread and mill
as he wanted, and during the day usually playet
out of doors by himself.
One day, as usual, Johnny, after receiving hi
bread and milk, went out to his stone to eat, bu
presently returned and asked for another SPOON :
His father being present felt curious to know hov
Johnny could eat with two spoons, and perhap
thinking to surprise and have little fun with hi
darling boy, quietly slipped out of the back doc
to the corner of shed near by to watch him.
The child seated himself upon the rock, and with
out offering TO touch his beverage, sat nearly
minute in silence; getting impatient, he called Il
, a low voice, 'Pecliled coatl" The moment tn
Ichild's voice was heard, a large speckled adde
crawled from beneath the stone, slowly rase
himself upon the child's lap and there coiled II
self nearly halfup, and in moment was ealln
from the same dish with the child. The chl
all the while talking to the snake in lis low plain
tive voice, every now and then looking up as
: fearful that some one might overhear him patln
, him with his little hand, calling him his lttl
.'peckled coat" the while, and urging him to ca
with the spoon. frequently telling him 10 eat upo
/ his own side of the dish; and whenever this rul
was deviated from, he got gentle tap on tn
> head with the spoon.
The father looked until in his agony he coul
: look no longer; sezing club, he sprang
destroy the snake. But he was notqulck enough
. In moment the snake was under the rock. Th
: child walked quietly into the house without III
tering word, and would not speak for some time
Twice after this the boy was allowed to call tn
snake out. but the father was unable TO get nea
, enough to kill it, At last the child was conhne
IN the house, and the father, by the assistance
others, pred up the stone and killed the reptile
, The snake was Of the species known in that VIC
nifty as the milk adder, was nearly three feet long
and between three and four inches round the body
When the child learned the fate of the snake
its grief could not be described, and was most pain
/ ful to witness. For hours after, it would cry PIT
eously "Oh, father you killed my poor peckle
coat - sobbing the while as if its little heal
would break and for weeks after this he woul
90 and sit down on this stone and mournuly ca
for his ''peckled coat" 1t was with difficulty
could oe made to eat anything, and for nearly lhre
months he continued to pine away, until ne wa
reduced to mere skeleton But this unnatura
grief in time wore away. He is now hale an
hearty young man, and withs much respected b
those who know him.