The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-28
Forked Tongued.

me, with her arms stretched out her eyes fixed,
and horrible, CHASTITY look upon her white face,
that made me drop my spade and run to meet her
| caught her Just as she was falling, when her
eyes closed and she gave SILVER that seemed to
shake her whole body. ...g
This was soon after we had settled out in the up
country and there was only another hut here aud
there in those days but, after years of knocking
about at home, trying to get an honest living and
never succeeding, we had TO make up our minds
to try Australia, and here we were living 10 alog
hut had Knocked up for myself, shepherding,
and doing what little could 10 the shape Of gar
dening; for, that being my right trade with all
the beautiful rich coil lying fsllow, 1t did seem
sin for me not to have a turn at it SO, getting
what seeds could from Sidney, aud adding TO the
few had in my chest, managed to make quite
little den OF the bit Of land broke up round our
hut.
We were not saving money, not to any extent,
but there was a root over our heads, and no rent
TO pay, plenty Of vegetables of our own plant
ing, and they not costing anything, plenty Of
work TO do, and, one sort and another, always
plenty TO eat; so that, after what we had gone
through in England, you may be sure we were
willing to put up with inconveniences as fell to
our share, and, as q matter Of course, there were
troubles to encounter out there in what some peo-
pie would call a wilderness, though il was a will
deTDess that blossomed like rise. There were
times when we were in dread of the blacks, who
had done some very queer things here and there
about; then the place was terribly lonely and
out of the way il you wanted the doctor, and
Mary used to joke me because l could never get
pint Of beer, but found | could get on just as
wen without It, and, my word, what capital cup
of tea we had out there
Well, Mary came out TO me that day looking so
horribly CHASTITY that being naturally TOO fast at
fancying troubles in advance, l saw directly
half score of blacks couhng to spear rs, and
some OF them knocking out the children's brains
with their clubs-and not the first time either;
but in few moments the poor child opened her
eyes, and began to stare about her. There were
he g. a loo MAJ In
the path playing, and, though looked along the
edge Of the wood behind the house, could see
no signs Of danger; and began to think she must
have been taken i'll, and turned over in my own
mind how shOuld get any help for her.
Just then her face grew contracted again as her
thoughts seemed TO go back, and, gasping out
once more, Harry, Harry" she gave another
| shudder, and said, = the baby-a snake!"
could not see myself, but | know turned pale,
all the blood seeming to rush to my heart, for if
there is anything of which afraid il is snake,
even going 80 far as to dislike ees, of which there
was plenty in the river close at hand.
don't know how we got there, but the next
| thing remember is standing at the hut window
with Mary holding little Joe tight in her arms and
NE looking through at the cradle where our little
thing of nine months old was lying; and my heart
seemed to be turning to ice as / saw nestled in
the foot of the cradle partly hidden in the blanket,
but with some of its horrible coils full in sight,
snd its head resting upon them, the largest snake
| had seen since had been In the country. The
|
| for few moments leaning upon the round handle
Of the hoe had caught up, not able to move, for
| my eyes were fixed upon the head of that hideous
| beast. and expected every moment that the baby
| would wake and make some movement sufficient
TO initiate the snake, and then felt that the little
| thing must die.
| What should do / asked myself as the horri.
bic feeling of helplessness wore OF II crept 10
and reached the cradle side unheard, dared not
| chop at the beast for fear of injuring the child
| for could see that some OF the folds lay right
| across it. / dared not make noise, lest the
| next moment the child should wake as well as
the reptile, for l knew the rapidity with which
the reptiles could wresthe fold after fold around
the object they attacked while, if of a poison
| Gus nature they strike in an instant. Thoughts
| came swiftly enough, but they were unayailing,
for to await till the baby woke, or to go In and
| attack the snake, seemed equally dangerous.
Even if made q slight noise the danger seemed
as great since, though the snake might wake first
and glide of, the probabilities were Just as great
that the child might wake at the same time.
And so l turned over the chances again and
again. my eyes all the while fixed upon the two
sleeping occupants Of the cradle, whose pleasant
warmth had evidently attracted the reptile.
81 went in and saw it there" whispered my
wife, and then, without taking my eyes for an in-
slant from the snake, | whispered the one word
| Cum and she glided from my side.
| did not know then, but she told me afterwards,
how she had carried the little boy to distance
| and gave him some flowers to play with, while
she crept back TO the hut, snd reaching in at the
kitchen window, brought me my gun, for had not
stirred. And now, as | grasped the piece in my
hand knowing as ! did that 1t was loaded, II
seemed of no use, for dared not fire but, with
trembling hands, / felt in my pockets to see il
there was q bullet in them, and then softly pull
ing out the ramrod, unscrewed the cover OF the
worm, drew the wadding, reversed the piece sno
let the shot fall patterng out, when softly forced
down the bullet upon the powder, examining the
| cap and stood ready waiting for a chance; for
thought that the shot might have scattered, and /
ever 30 little might have injured the child instesC
Of its enemy.
watching intently that horrible beast completely
! nestled in the blanket, expecting mOmentariy
that the baby would awake, while my hand trem
bled so thatI could not hold the gun steady. On
minute | was thinking that had done wrong Il
changing the charge, the next minute that wa
right, then fancied the gun might miss fire, o
that might STAY my own child. hundred hor
, rible thoughts entered my mind before little Jo
began to cry out 10 his mother, and she glide,
away while / muttered to myself, +" Thank hea
! ven " for she was spared from seeing what fol
. lowed.
Asif az one and the same moment, the chill
| and the snake woke up. saw the baby's han
! move, and its little arm thrown out, while iron
the motion beneath the blanket l knew that
J must have kicked little. Then there was a rapi
Z movement in the cradle. and as ! glanced alOn
the gun.barrel taking aim, there was the Who'll
| of the horrible reptile exposed TO view, coil gllc
ing over coil as il seemed to ill the whole OF IN
cradle and now had my gun been charged wit
shot, should have fired, so as 70 have disable
some part Of its body; but, with only sing
q bullet / felt that the head must be the part q
i tackled when opportunity served.
: Glide glide glide, one coil over another quick
i and easily as If il were untying its knotty bod
d while now the head slowly rose nearer and neart
e 10 the chid's face, the fOrked tongue dsrting
and out, and playing rapidly on either size OF j
q hideCus mouth. ] could see the glance OF Y
Il snakes eyes, and expected every moment to he'
0 the little one shrek in terror, as the lowere
O head rested over her breast. But no; the Chi
y Law perfectly still for few minutes, and then
II stood trembling in every limb as saw the snake
e head drawn back, and then begin 70 sway to al
D. fro and from side to side, the glistening neck
the beast undulatng, whilst the tongue still DART
l. in and out of the dreadful looking mouth.
3 Know was the time when should have hred, o.
II was too unnerved and, laying down my gun,
ID seized my hoe meaning to attack the beast VII
sr It's stout handle; but my hand fell paralyzed
Ot nv side as saw the little in the cradle smi
le and laugh at the gently undulatng head OF q
ID snake: while, as the agony grew to be great
g, tnan could bear, in seeing the little white han
INV 10 catch at IL as il swayed to and fro, my pc