Litchfield enquirer., 1857-05-14
LITCHFIELD, THURSDAY, MAY ID, 1857.


At length staggered |! / was losing my
strength rapidly, and the pain Of my body had
become excrutiating The snakes skin where
it was coiled about me was almost transparent.
He had found me, or / had found him, III
state of hunger, his stomach free from food,
and his muscular force unmpaired. A second
time staggered, and objects began to swc:
/ before me. > = 4saT s ..-..,q5 II
A dizzy sensation was in my head, faint
ness at my heart, and pain the most agonizng
in ruy body. The snake now had three feet of
body free. He had drawn himself certainly
| three feet longer than before! He dartcd his
head under my right arm, and brought it up
over my shoulder and pressing his under jaw
firmly down, there, he gave such a sudden
wind that it. made me groan for very pain.
| Each moment was an age of agony each
second step nearer death! .a
My knife! O! if could but reach it.
Why not Why not tear it out My arms
were free. Mercy ! why had not thought Of
this before-wlen my hands had some strength
in them Yet l would try it. I collected
all my remaining power for the effort, and made
the attempt. Ny trowsers were of blue cotton
stuff, and very strong Il could not tearit I
thought Of the stitches. They might not be
so tenacious grasped the cloth upon the
inside of my thigh and gave my last atom of
strength to the effort The stitches started
thej give away ! This result gave me hope,
and hope gave me strength. Another pull
with both hands-and the pocket was laid
bare With all the remaining force l could
command, with hope of life of home, Of every
thing | loved on. earth, in the effort, caught
the pocket on the inside and bore down upon
it. There was cracking of the threads
sound of tearing h-and--my knife was in
my hands a#sI .A
l had sense euongh yet to know that the
smallest blade was the sharpest and / opened
it. With one quick, nervous movement pres
scd the keen edge upon the tense skin, and
drew it across. With dull, tearing snap,
the body parted and the snake fell in two pie
ces | staggered to the boat, reached it, and
there sank down. l knew nothing mere until
heard a voice calling my name. | opened
my eyes, and looked up. My father stood
over me with terror depicted Oh his countenancc.
| told him my story as best l could. He
went up and got the duck had taken from
the snake the other he could not find and
also brought along the two pieces had made
of my enemy. He told me he had heard me
cry out, and at once started off in the large
boat after me, though it was long while ere
he saw my boat. had lain there over half
an hour when he found me.
When we reached home, the snake was
measured, and found to be eight feet and four
inches in length. 1t was q month before l
fully recovered from the effects of that hugging;
and to this day there is something in the very
name of snake, that sends a chill Of horror to
my heart
CONSTRUCTION OF CIsrERss.-When the soil is
sandy gravely, dig hole deep enough for the
cistern allowing room for it to in, it will
almost always do. Then commence in the bottom
of the cistern by setting brick on edge; then by
broken pieces and lime mortar, bring them to a
circle keep charging the circle. rising very slowly,
that the bottom of the cistcrn will be little the
lowest. You will accomplish this by making the
| lower side of your mortar between the brick the
thickest AS soon as You have sufficient size TOR the
bottom rise more rapidly, and expand less until you
get to the middle of the bulge, when you gradually
diminish until you reach the neck. the bottom of
which should Re about two feet below the surface OF
the ground. This should be about two feet in diane
ter, circular and perpendicular. This plan will
leave your cstern perfect arch in all directions,
the shape being nearly like egg, the largest end
downwards. A four inch wall is amply sufficient,
and it sufficient pains is taken IN packing the external
earth as You fill it in on the outside of the WALL
there is no kind of danger of its bursting.
On stiff clay soil, free from stone. commence
digging just the size of the neck of the cstern, al
lowing eight inches for the brick. Dig down two
feet then jog in four inches all round for founla
ton for the brick. Dig some six eight inches
farther, nearly straight down; then gradually en-
large the circle, constantly digging under on all
sides until your cistern is the necessary size leay
ing the centre of the bottom little the lowest for
convenience in Cleaning.
For digging cstern of this kind, you want a
common pick or grabbing hoe with very short
, handle, for the purpose of digging under, and ma
king the inside sufficiently smooth for pasterne.
The neck should be laid with brick bats the square
end inside, in lime mortar. Then plaster directly
| upon the clay two coats of cement water-lime
| and when dry, whitewash with the same. aFs
| The plastering is done the same, whether bricks
are used or not have tried both kinds of cisterns
| with complete success In my immediate neighbor-
hood there are cisterns that have been used for
years, plastercd ON clay, which perfect. The
great difficulty with cstems is to keep them from
freezing, which will cause the cement to scale off
! entirely Last winter l had two injured IN this
way requiring entirely new plastering other
| wise have had no trouble with them. want no
timber used in their construction and would not
thank. a man for wall in clay soil. s.E
| MISUNDERSTANDING proposed amendments