Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-07-06

ed teeth into Johns shirt just above
the hem. With q tremendous spring
he started off with the speed Of a loco
motive. lis first jump took the snake
clear from the ground, and as John
stole ha~ty glance over lis shoulder,
he was Mortified to find the reptile Sc
curely fastened to his neither garment
while the speed with which he rushed
forward kept the serpent at an angle
Of ninety degrees with his body,
Here was a quandary. If he stop
ped, the snake would coil about his
body aud squeeze him to death il he
continued the race, he must soon fall
from sheer exhaustion. On he flew,
scarce bearing to think how this dread
tul race was to end. Instinctivcly he
had taken the direction Of home, and
us he emerged from the forest, and be-
gun to catch gIlmpses Of the house, II
feeling Of security came over him.
Suddenly flashed across his mind the
true state Of atf'lirs-hIs father GONE
the quilting, and worst ofalI, the girI5I
This new horror sent the blood back,
curdling about his heart, and he came
to q dead halt. The next uoment he
felt the body Of the cold clamTy mon
ster in contact with his bare legs, lis
tail creeping around him in a sort Of
cozaninc way. as though his snakeship
only mcditated little, by way Of tick
limo John up0n the knees.
This was too much for human endu-
rance With q we'll. such As man new
or uttars save when in mortal terror
Door John aoain set forward at break
neck snaed, and once laore had the
Measure Of seejno the snake resume
his horizontal Dosifion. somewhat after
the nos;ti,n Of the fail Of . comet
on tney f.w, John forrot the
ooiItino torpot the ~irls, foroot every
thinu bnt the snake.
His active exercise. (he najl nartic-
uIar attention to runninr, tonetbtr with
the excessive heat, had broaoht on the
nose bleed, and IS he ran, ears erect.
and head thrown back, his chin. throat
and shirt bosom were stained with the
flowing stream.
Ills titst wild shrek had startled the
oujltcrs. and forth they rushed. wonder
if some mad Indian was pot DrowIinr
around. Rv th,s time John was with
in Z few rods Of the barn, still running
at the to, Of his speed, his head turned
:, that h. ninht 3;ep3 one eve on the
snake and with the other observe what
cnnrse he was to take, The friendly
barn now concealed him from the sight
Of the Girls. lie knew they were in
the var1 hayin9 caurht a GLIMPSE of
the,9 as t thev rushed from the honsc.-
\ few more hounds and he would be
in the;r midst For a moment modestv
ovorcame fear, and he once more taIt-
cl The snake. evidently pleased with
ranid tra,snortation, manifested his
(rrat;tnSa hy ottomntino the )cos Of our
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