Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-11-08

could not believe what saw to be real; and
yet, if seeing be believing, | was not de-
ceived At the foot Of the bed, strung on
q slender reed like herrings, saw row of
black vipers. The reed itself, was fastened
to Two nails in the wall.
| have horror of serpents; the sight OF
them alone is hateful to me. l sprang out
of bed, | bundled on a few clothes, kicked
the chairs away from the door, and entered
the kitchen in passion.
"What do you mean by poisoning me with
those abominable reptiles?'' | asked Of the
man, who was already up and busy. Chow
dare you make me sleep in q room with a
set Of vipers ?"
| so startled him that, in his confusion
the poor fellow dropped my tin box, which
he had been examining.
sThey are dead, sir, he said apologize
ally.
This exaspe1ated me.
"Of course they are dead. A pretty
thing if they were alive and crawlingl"
"They would bite you if they were alive,
SIR" he replied.
The fellows incorrigible stupidity Gained
me. 1t was useless to argue, and wanted
to know why those abominaale creatures
were there. [ put the question to him.
I'VE always keep them there, lest any
one should come and steal Them he replied,
"they are worth ten sous apiece now"
l began to understand the facts Of the
case. These people killed vipers, and got
the government reward fer doing SO.
''You pursue dangerous trade, my good
fellow" L said; . be careful"
f" 1t is Prudence who does it; she has the
secret, only she will not tell it to me. |
have begged and prayed for it again and
again, but she will not give it to me. She
says two cannot have it, for if two had it,
it would kill her. Now, you know, that is
hard upon ne, he continued, '.for suppose
she dies. am left destitute"
"And have you no idea how she does it?"
I asked.
81 know she takes milk out with her, and
| have heard her whistle; aud once came
home unexpectedly, and caught her max
ing sort of tisane, and-nonsieur may
believe me-she was boiling her pot on the
fire beyond, and threw in handfuls of that
very herb monsieur has got there
He pointed to the contents Of my tin box.
took the withered herbs.
''That," said, els the"
1 had no time to end the sentence A
hand snatched the weeds from mine, and
Prudence thrust her face between US.
''Monster! devil!' she shrieked. "Do
you want to kill me ITO kill me %
She was in frightful rage, but her pale
face was not disturbed; it was the face |
had seen all night-eruel, relentless, alb.
horront-tdeme, at least-but not otherwise
altered. 1t was her husband whom she adj
dressed, and be SUNK away like detected
hound. His wife's anger was as brief IS it
was violent; she gave him look of con-
tempt, then turned to me smiling
" Has monsieur slept WELL and will we
have any breakfast % she asked smoothly.
We shall soon have beautiful MILK
Now, it was prejudice, of course, but l
could not make up my mind to drink milk
IN Prudence's house, it would have tasted
"viperish" to me, though the COW that
gave it had been the fair 10 herself. [ de-
clined Prudence's courtesy with brief
thanks, entered my room. and finished
dressing. Within five minutes / had paid
my bill, and was on the road to the inn in
the next village, with Prudence's husband
as my guide. did not need his services,
but could see that the poor wretch wanted
to get away from his wife, whose eye,
when it fell upon him took a particular
evil expression; moreover, was not sorry
to have a chat with him. had no need to
draw him out; he was fasting and lively
now; besides, he wanted to explain why
Prudence had got into such passion, or
rather why he submitted to her fury so
patiently. g You see, sir,'' he said, g she
is good girl. is Prudence-a little quick
at times, but good girl; and then she was
good match for rae. The secret has
been in her family for more than hundred
years; it has gone down from father to
son, or to daughter, as the case might be,
and all these girls have been Sought after
and have made good matches, whereas
had not @ farthing."
Chow came she to marry you ?" asked
He looked at me and smiled
"She could not help herself; she was
fond of me you see."
"Wny will she not tell the secret? You
could both 60 hunting and catching yipers."
Prudence's husband looked i'll used.
''She will not" he said, sullenly. "She
says that if it were known to more than
one person at q time the vipers would bite
her and kill her. Now, that is an idea as
tell her.
Every one has an idea in France, so T was
not surprised at this remark Of Prudence's
husband, but | was surprised at what he
told me. Did Prudence really believe that
the revelation Of her secret would destroy
her power?
Did not monsieur see and hear her (?
Did she not call me monster, devil, and
ask if [ wanted to kill her, and all because
T had hot Of borJ ~, T
have more Of it," he added, nodding
shrewdly, sand I will make the tisane
when she is out. will You see, mon
sieur, it is hard case. Prudence had the
secret from her mother on her death bed.
and she had it from her father in the same
way; but suppose Prudence dies suddenly.
She cannot give it to me in that case, and
there | ami"
t'Then she has promised to tell it to you
on her death bed? 2"
''To be sure she has I would not have
married her without. But, as | said, sup
pose she dies suddenly?
perhaps there is no secret" I suggest
ed specifically.
'Oh, yes, there is. Prudence never
meddled with vipers before her mother died,
though she always had a serpent or two
about her.
"a serpent! And about her ?"
eyes sir; she liked the creatures she
used to have them coiled up round her body
to keep her cool in hot weather, she said !;
and when she was girl, and frolicsome,
she would run after the other girls with a.
pet snake she had, and brighten them. She
was very fond Of it, but it weed her one
day, and she killed it."
g Did she ever make pet Of viper ?"
"No, she is afraid of vipers," he replied,
oonfdentially; 'sbut she sometimes kills
six in day, and they are worth ten sous
apiece, now. It is hard that she will not
tell me the secret"