, 1862-08-07
aCal a Man y

/ SlStlng his ldtnef on tne Iaftn. JOnn was muc0
respected by every one in the neighborhOOd. and
many bright eyed girl had secretly thought
that she would like to be Mrs. Jackson. But
John was no "ladieS' man" The fact was, he
was bashful He would rather hoe potatoes all
day than undergo the ceremony Of an introduc-
| ton to young lady. Not that John dsliked
the dear creatures-hr from It. We believe
that he, in common with all bashful and we'll
meaning men, entertained the very highest re-
s1ect and admiration for them. And this no
doubt was the principal cause Of his bashfulness.
He felt that they were superior beings, and that
he was unworthy to associate with tnem upon
trims Of equality. But we cannot stop to NOR
alize.
Nancy Clark was the daughter Of very re-
spectacle farmer, whose land adjOined the Jack
son farm. Nancy was a pretty, saucy little
witch, and she liked John Jackson When they
were children they attended the same school,
and, as he was few years her senior, be was
usually her champion in the childish disputes
! that arose, and her companion in coming and go
ing. At last John became so much Of young
man as to be kept from school, and he bad dis
continued going for some years past. John dis
covered too, that he was growing out Of shape.
| His feet and legs appeared very awkwGtd; he
| did not know what to do with his hands; his
face panied him, and taking all in all, he was in
cllned to think he was not more than half put
together As novelists say, it was a lovely day
/ In August The sun was clear serene and beau.
tiful; the trees were loaded with golden fruit,
and the birds twitered their songs Of love in the
branches Earth--(there, we've slid down to
earth once moro such lofty fights, they make
our head diEzy.) We were prepared to say that
arth yielded a bountiful harvest Of grass and
clover, and hOneysuckles, which the noble yeo-
nanry Of Chesterville had garnered within their
StOrehOuses," but, Upon second thought, have
concluded to word Il thus "The farmers Of
Chestervie had done harvesting"
John Jaekson's sister had quilting that after
noon. His father had gone 10 Keith's Mills" to
get some wheat ound, ami left John to repair
some tools, to be ready on the morrow to com
mence moving the meadow grass. Suddenly it
occurred to John that II he remained about the
house that afternoon, he would be called in at
tea time and required to do the honors Of the
table. To avoid this, lie quietly shouidered his
scythe and stole away to the meadow, half q
mile distant, fully resolved that he would not
leave there until It was 80 dark that he could not
see to NOV, 80 as y avoid seeing The gifls,
The meadOW vas surrounded on all sides BY
thick forest which effeetually shut out what
little breeze there might chance to he stirring.
The sun poured down its rays as though the lit.
tie meadow was the focus-pOint where the heat
was concentrated John moved and sweat, and
|
down and cool off, Then it occurred to John
that, IL he took of his pants, he might be much
more comfortable. There could be no impro-
priety in Il, for he was entirely concealed from
observation and there was not the slightest rea-
son to suppose that he could be seen by any per-
son.
So John stripped of, ami with no cover save
his linen--cnmmOny called shirt-he resumed
his work. He was Just congratuatng himself
upon the good time he had made from meeting
the girls when he CHANGED to disturb a huge
black snake, genuine twister, with white ring
around its neck.
John was no coward, but he was mortally
afraid Of snake. SelEpreservation" was the
first passage" that flashed across his mind, and
"legs take care Of the body" was the next Drop
| ping his scythe and spinning around like top,
he was ready to strike a two-fjrty gait, when,
at that moment, the snake was near enough to
/ hook his crooked teeth into Johns shirt just
above the hem. With tremendous spring he
started off with the speed Of locomotive. His
first imp took the snake clear from the ground,
and as he stole hasty glance over his shoulder,
/ he was Mortified to see the reptile securely has,
tened to the extremity Of his garment, while the
rapidity Aith which he rushed forward kept
the serpent extended at an angle Of 90 degrees
| { ON his body.
Here was a quandary. If he stopped, the
snake would coil about his body, and squeeze
him to death; If he continued the race, he must
fall from sheer exhaustion On he flew, scarce
daring to think how this dreadful race was 10
end. Instinctively he had taken the direction Of
home a feeling Of security came over him.
Suddenly flashed across his mind the true state
Of affairs his father gone-the quilting, and,
worse than ALL the girlsl The next moment he
felt the body of the cold, clammy monster in con-
tact with his bare legs his tail creeping around
them in sort Of cOzrning way, as by way Of
tickling John upon his knees.
his was too much for human endurance.
With yell such as man never uttered. save in
mortal terror, poor John set forward with break
neck speed, and once more had the pleasure Of
seeing the srake resume bis horizontal position,
somewhat after the fashion Of the tail Of a come
On, on they few John forgot the quilting
forgot the girls-lorgOt everything but the snake.
His active exercise (he paid particular atten.
ton to his runnng) together with the excessive
| heat had brought on the nosebeed, and as he
ran, ears erect, and head thrown back, his chin,
throat and shirt.bosOm were stained with the
/ flowing stream.
His first shrek bad started the quilterS and
forth they rushed, wondering if some Indian was
not prowling about By this time, John was
within few rods Of the barn, still running at the
top of his speed, his head turned so that he
might keep one eye on the make and with the
other observe what course he must take. The
friendly barn now concealed bin from the sight
Of the girls.
He knew the girls were in the yard, having
caught glimpse Of them as they rushed from
the house. A few more bounds and he would DO
in their midst. For a moment modesty over
come fear, and he halted. The snake, evidently
pleased with his rapid transportation, manifested
his gratitude by again attempting to eniold the
legs of our hero within his embrace.
With an explosive ouch!" and urged for
ward BY " circumstances over which he had no
/ 40, sr,im uoor Iohn bonnd.d an Thu neNt mn.