The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-12-17
CALL A MAN"

mained at home, assisting his fathef upon the
farm. John was much respected by every one IN
the neighborhood and many Il bright-eyed girl
had secretly thought she would like to change Der
name to Mrs. John jackson. But john was no
IS ladies' man The fact was, John was very
bashful. lie would rather hoe potatoes all day
than undergo the ceremony of an introduction TO
n Young lady. Not that John disliked the dear
creatures-far from it. We believe that he, IN
common with ali bashful, well-meaning men, en-
tertained the very highest respect and admiration
for them. And this, no doubt, was the principal
cause OF his bashfulnesS. Tie felt that they were
superior beings, and that he was unworthy to
ASSOCIATE with them upon terms of equality. But
we cannot stop to morallze.
Nancy Clark was the daughter of a respectable
farmer, whose lands adjoined the jackson farm.
Nancy was n pretty, saucy little Wench, and she
liked John jackson. When they were children
thew attended the same school, and as he was Il
few years her senior, was usually her champion
in the childish disputes that arose, and her COM
panion in going and returning. At last, john
became SO much of a young mar as to be kept
from school, as she had been IN past years. John
discovered, too, that he had been growing in
stature, and il seemed as if he had been growing
out Of shape. His feet and legs appeared very
awkward he didn't know what to do with his
hands his face panied him, and, taken all i'll all,
he was inclined TO think he was not more than
half put together.
Now the truth was, John jackson was really a
fine looking young man, and nothing but his adj
miration of Nancy could have suggested any such
foolish thoughts about himself.
As the noyelists say, it was a lovely day in
August. The heavens were clear, serene and
beautiful ; the trees were laden with golden fruit,
and the beautiful birds twittered their songs OF
love in the branches. Earth-(there we've slid
down to earth once more such lofty flights, they
make our head dizzy We were bout to say
that q earth had yielded her bountiful harvest of
a years grass, and clover, and honeysuckles,
which the noble yeomanry of Chesterville had
garnered within their storehouses "-but upon
second thought, have concluded to word it thus
50 The farmers Of Chesteryille were done bar
vesting."
John Jackson's sister had a quilting that after
noon. His father had gone to" Keithis Mill" to
get some wheat ground, and John was left to
repair some tools, to be ready on the morrow to
commence moving the meadow grass. Suddenly
1t occurred to John that if he remained about the
house in the afternoon, he would be called in at
tea time and required to do the honors of the
table. To avoid this, he quietly sbouldered his
scythe and stole away to the meadow, half a mile
distant fully resolved that he would not leave
there until it was so dark that he could not see to
NOW, and thus avoid seeing the girls.
The meadow was surrounded on all sides by a
thick forest, which efectually shut out what
little breeze there might be stirring. The sun
poured its rays as though the little meadow was
the focus point where the heat was concentrated.
John moved and sweat-sweat and moved, until
he was obliged to sit down and cool off. Then it
occurred to John that if he took off his pants he
might be much more comfortable. There could
be no Improperly in it, for nc was entirely con-
cealed from observation, and there was not the
slightest reason to supposethat he could be seen
by any person.
So John stripped off. and with no cover save
his linen-commonly called a shirt-he resumed
his work. He was just congratulating himself
upon the good time he was having, and the lucky
escape he had made from meeting the girls, when
he CHANGED to dissurb a huge black snake, a gen
uine twister, with a white ring around his neck.
John was no coward, but he was mortally
afraid of a snake. Self preservation " was the
first passage that flashed upon Johns mind, and
IS legs take care of the body - was the next.
Dropping his scytbe, and spinning round like a
top, he was ready to strike il 2:40 gait, wien at
that moment the snake was near enough to hook
his crooked teeth into Johns shirt, just above the
hem. With a tremendous spring, he started off
with the speed of a locomotive. His first jump
took the snake clear from the ground, and as
John stole a hasty glance over bis shoulders, he
was Mortified to find the reptile securely fastened
to the extremity of his garment while the speed
with which he rushed forward kept the serpent
extended at an angle of ninety desrOoo with 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'd soon fall,
Olu SUECE CAuttuSliOHs III nc ACh SCuICC uSll lilR
to think how his dreadful race would end. In
stinctively nc had taken the direction Of home,
when Il feeling of security came over him. Sud-
denly flashed across his mind the true state of
affairs-his father gone-the quilting-and worst
of all, the urls! This new horror sent the blood
back, curdling about his neck, and he came TO Il
dead halt. The next moment he felt the body of
the cold, clammy monster in contact with his
bare legs, his tail creeping round them in a sort
of oozing way, as though his snakeship only med
itated Il little fun, by way of tickling John upon
the knees.
This was too much for human endurance.
With a yell, such as man never utters save when
in mortal terror, poor John again set forward at
break-neck pace, and once more had the pleasure
of seeing the snake resume his horizontal position,
alter the fashion of a comet.
On, on lie flew John forgot the quilting,
forgot the girls, forgot everything but the snake.
His active exercises Che paid particular atten-
ton to his running), together with the excessive
heat, had brought on the nose bleed, and as he
ran, ears erect and head thrown back, his chin,
throat and shirt bosom were stained with the
flowing stream.
His first wild shrek had startled the ~quilters,
and forth they rushed, wondering if some mad
Indian was not providing about. By this time
John was within a few rods of the barn, still
running at the top of his speed, his head turned
so that he could keep one eye on the snake, and
with the other observe what course he must take.
-O " AAA " viz cAShS
of the girls. lie knew they were in the yard,
having caught a glimpse of them as they rushed
from the house. A few more bounds and he
would be in their midst. For a moment modesty
fear, and he once more halted. The
snake, evidently pleased with his rapid transporta-
ton, manifested his gratitude by attempting to
enfold the legs of our hero within his embrace.
With an explosive " ouch - and urged forward
by q circumstances over which he had no CONTROL .
poor John bounded on. The next moment he
in full view of the girls, and as he turned
the corner of the barn, the snake came round
with a whiz, something after the fashion. of a
coach whip.
Having reached the barn-yard, to his dismay
he found the bars up but time was too precious
to be wasted in letting down bars. Gathering all
his strength. he bounded into the air-snake
dittO-and as he alighted on the other side, his
snakeship's tail cracked across the upper bar,
swapping like an India cracker.
Again John set forward, now utterly regardless
of the presence'of the girls, for the extra tick of
the snakes tail as he Leaned tho hairs hoDisbad