Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-04-30

had many an opportunity of killing him iii
and wished to do D when l have caught
him asleep on the tombstones, in the winter 4
sun. licould kill him this very day-this very
hour-if | liked, for | know where he is al
this very moment. lie is in a hole, close To
the Ochtcrlony monument there, in that cor.
ner of the yard. But why should hurt
! him? lie has never offered to do me any
harm, and when sing, as I sometimes dc
when am alone here at work on some tomb
or other, he will crawl up, and listen for two
or three hours together. One morning while
he was listening, he came in for good meal
which lasted him some days
- How was that?''
" | will tell you, sir. a minar was
chased by II small hawk, and in despair
came and perched itself on the top of a most
lofty tomb at which | was at work. The
hawk. with his eyes fixed intently on his
inotionlcss in the grass or if he did see him
he did not think he was snake, but some
thing elsc-my crowbar, perhaps After a
little while the hawk pounced down, and
was just about to give the minar a blow and
grip, when the snake suddenly lifted up
his head, raised his hood, and hisscd. The
hawk gave II shrek, fluttercd, tapped his
wings with all his might, and tried very
hard to fly away. But it would not do.
Strong as the eye of the hawk was, the eve
OF the snake was stronger. The hawk for Il
time seemed suspended in the air; but ut last
it was obliged to come down, and sit opposite
to the old gentleman (the snake,) who COM
menced with his forked tongue. and keeped
his eyes upon him all the while, to slime his
victim all over. This occupied him all the
time for at least forty minutes, and by the
time the process was over, the hawk was per-
tectly motioness. don't think he was dead
But he was very soon, however, for the old
gentleman put himself into coil or two,
and cracked up every bone in the hawk 8 body
He then gave him another shining, made a
big mouth; distended his neck till it was as
big, around as the thickest part of my arm,
and down went the hawk like a shin of beef
into beggarman's bag
And what became of the minar ~
He was off like shot, sir, the moment
his enemy was in trouble, and no blame to
him What a funny thing nature is alto
gether, sir very often think of that scene
when am not at work here
g But this place must be infested with
snakes?'
4 have never seen but that one, sir, and
| have been here for long time. Would
like to see the old gentleman, sir? As the
sun is up, and the morning rather warm,
perhaps he will come out, ifI pretend to be at
work and give him ditty. If he does not,
we will look in upon him"
Come along" said |.
| accompanied the old man to tomb, close
to the monument beneath which the snake
was said to have taken up his abode. did
not 60 very near to the spot, but stood upon
tomb with thick stick in my hand, quite
prepared to slay the monster if he approached
me; for from childhood have always had an
instructive horror of reptiles of every species,
cast and character.
The old man began to hammer away with
his mallet and chisel, and to sing a very
quaint old song which had never heard be-
fore, and have never heard since. 1t was
dialogue or duet between the little finger and
the thumb, and began thus. The thumb
said
Dear Rose Green
When am king, little finger, you shall be queen"
The little finger replied
Who told you so, Thummy Thummy? Who
told you so?'
The thumb responded
" 1t is my own heart little finger, who told me
The thumb then drew a very flattering pic
ture of the life they would lead when united
in wedlock, and concluded, as nearly as | can
remember, thus
"And when you dead little finger, as it ma hap
You shall be buried, little finger, under the tap
LITTLE FINGER:
"N by Thummy, Thummy? Why, Thummy Thum-
my?
Why, Thummy, Thummy-Why ?"
THUMB:
THAT you may drink little finger, when your dry"
But this ditty did not bring out the snake.
| remarked this to the old man, who replied :
He hasn't made his toilet, yet-hasn't I rub
bed his scales up, sir; but he'll be here pre-
sently You will see. Keep your eye on
that hole, sir. am now going to give him
livelier tune, which is a great favorite of
his :" and forthwith he struck up an old song,
beginning
"'Twas in the merry month Of May,
When bees from flower to flower did hum,'
Out came the snake before the song was
half over Before it was concluded he had
crawled slowly, andG GfI dare use such word y
rather majestically to within a few PAGES of
the spot where the old man was standing.
Good morning to you, sir" said the old
man to the snake. 4" l am happy to see you
in your new suit of clothes have picked
up your old suit, and have got it in my pock-
ct, and a very nice pair of slippers my old
wife will make out of it. The last pair that
she made out of your rejected apparel were
given as a present to Colonel Cureton, who,
like myself very much resembled the great
General Blucher in personal appearance. Who
will get the pair of which | have now the
making, Heaven only knows. Perhaps old
Brigadier White, who has also Blucher cut
about him. What song would you like next?
Kathleen Mavourneen Yes, | know that is
pet song of yours and you shall have it, !"
The old man sang the melody with ten
derness and feeling which quite charmed me
as well AS the snake, who coiled himself and
remained perfectly still. Little reason as
had to doubt the truth of any of the old mans S
statements. | certainly should have been
skeptical as to the story of the snake, if | had
not witnessed the scene have attempted to
describe
"Well, sir, said the old man, coming up
me, after he had made salaam to the snake
and left him, :" it is almost breakfast time,
and ! will with your permission, bid you
good morning"
MUSICAL TASTE IN ITALY AND AMERICA
An American sojourning at Rome, writes to
Dwight's journal of Music as follows
" Perhaps the only thing in which am
disappointed in Italy, is in its music, and
the musical cultivation of its inhabitants. 1t
is true that even the smallest towns have
opera houses, but the style of performance is
poor. Then, like many other people, had
expected, that in Italy, music in the domestic
circle was brought almost to professional per-
lection, and that every other young man was
a Mario, and almost every other young wo-
man Grisi, But find myself much mis-