The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-10-17
a Terrible De,ifeElOW.

/ curiosity. Ills lace indicated man OF not
over thirty years-a period at which men
are still young-but his hair was az white
as fresh fallen snow. One seldom sees,
even on the heads of the oldest men. hair of
such immaculate whiteness. He sat by my
side in car Of the Great Western Railway,
in Canada, and was looking ont of the win
dow. Suddenly turning his head, he caught
me in the act of staring at him-a rudeness
say words of apology, when he quietly re-
marked: "Dont mention it, sir. l am
used to it, The frankness of this observa
ton pleased me, and in very little while
we were conversing on terms of familiar
acquaintanceship, and before long he told
me the whole story.
" was soldier in the army of India"
! he said, "and as it is often the case with
the soldiers: was too fond of liquor. One
day got drunk, and was shut up in the black
hole for it. l Stamped down upon the floor
of the dungeon, aud was just dropping to
sleep when felt a cold shape crawling across
my right hand, as it lay stretched out above
my head on the floor. knew at once what
it was-a snake! Of course, my first i'm
pulse was to draw away my hand but know
, ing that if | did SO, the poisonous reptile
would probably strike its fangs into me,
lay still with my heart beating in my breast
like triphammer. Of course, my fright
sobcred me instantly. | realized all my
peril in its fullest extent. o, how lamented
the hour that first touched the liquor. In
every glass of liquor there is a serpent but
it does not come to every body in the shape
that it did to me. With a slow, undulating
motion, the reptile dragged its carcas across
my face, inch by inch and crept down over
my breast, and thrust its head inside my
jacket. AS l felt the hideous scraping of
the Shiny body over my cheeks, it was only
by a most tremendous effort that l succeeded
in restraining myself from yelling loudly
with mingled terror and disgust. At last
felt the tail wiggling down toward my chin
but imagine what felt at my heart, if you
can imagine it, as 1 realized that the dread
full creature had coiled itself up under my
jacket as lay, and had seemingly gone to
sleep, for it was rs still as death. Evidently
it had no idea that was a human creature
| if it had, it would not have acted in that
way. All snakes are cowardly, and they
will not approach u man unless to strike
! him in sef-defence.
Three hours lay there with that dread
full weight III my bosom and each minute was
an hour to me-like a year. | seemed to
have lived a lifetime in that brief space
Every incident CT my life passed through my
memory as they say is the case with the
drowning man. | thought of my mother
away in old England, my happy home by
the Avon, my Mary, the girl | loved, and
never expected to sec them more. For no
matter how long bore this, | felt that it
must end in death at last. lay as rigid as
a corpse, scarcely daring even to breathe,
and all the while my breast was growing
colder, where the snake was lying against it,
with nothing but thin cotton shirt between
my skin and its. | knew that if | stirred it
would strike, but I could not bear this much
longer f4Nel IL l SucCGeueu In lying Stlll
until the guard came, l expected his open
ing the door and coming in, would be my
death warrant all the same; for no doubt
the reptile would see that was a man as
soon as the light was let in at the door. At
last heard footsteps approaching. There
Was rattle at the lock. 1t was the guard.
He opened the door. The snake-a cobra
de cabella, | now saw-dar;ed up its huge
hooded head, with the hideous rings around
its eyes, as if about to strike. shut my
ewes and murmared prayer. Then it gil
ded away with swift motion and disappeared
in the darkness. staggered to my feet and
fell swooning in the arms of the guard -
For weeks after, was very sick, and when
| was able to be about, | found my hair as
white as you now see it. l have not touch
ed drop of liquor since"