The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-08

wretched mule kicking still-they both fell
together over the edge of the precipice, and
went plump into the top of tree, and while
we sat quaking and looking on, they crashed
down from thence, and rolled among the ferns
and canes and we're lost.
'It was horrid sight; and when got over
my surprise a little, found we had all dis
mounted, and that Owen was standing wiring
ing his hands and crying with all his might;
and then, after that, he stopped and burst out
laughing till he made himself cry again.
"Of course we did not like those old monks
to see an English boy crying and we kept
patting him on the back, talking to him. At
last he seemed to wake up all on sudden and
begin to look about him.
WELL old fellow, Talbot said to him,
how are you now p
"'oh, he said, I'm all right. What are
we waiting forF
''But presently he remembered all about
il. He was last, it seems, and as each mule
came up to the serpent it SHE'D and dashed
up the ascent, but his mule actually put her
foot into the middle of the creature, slid it
down among the sleek folds, and at once
seemed paralyzed, and never stirred, but
kept gazing at the thing as it uncurled itself
and began to hiss softly.
"Owen said he did not remember how he
got off, nor anything else till he found us all
shaking him. and telling him that he was
quite safe; and he kept shivering and crying
out, while he described the serpent's eyes,
oh, the kissing monster 1 hate her-I do
hate herl' And, do you know, it has seemed
to me rather shocking ever since that instead
| of feeling thankful that we were all safe,
Bible about Haman !"
''What text, my dear boy?" asked him
"Why that account of how Haman came
| home and told his wife about his riches and
his honors and the distinctions that the king
had conferred upon him, and then ended by
saying, But all this avails me nothing so
| long as l see Mordecai the Jew sitting in the
kings gate
II cannot see any connection between the
| text and the serpent, observed; "how came
| you to think of such subject?'
GO 1T flashes into my mind directly, and I
| thought to myself, what is the good of having
this world to live in, if such odious reptiles as
| this are to share it with us. How 1 did
| loathe that serpent; it quite curdles my blood
| even now when think of her'
" Il have often heard people speak of that
| peculiar hatred, 1 replied, and refer it to the
enmity that God placed between the serpent
and the seed of the woman
| ''Yes; so the chaplain told us afterwards. 1
have often heard lions and tigers roar, when
1 have been keeping the middle watch, and
have felt good deal of fear and q sort of
respect for them, but no disgust 1t was
grand in the dark to listen; it made one think.
Oh, you jolly old fellow, I'm glad you're not
crushing my bones But when you have once
heard a serpent hiss, and seen his sleek body
and the hideous leer in his eyes, it does not
seem enough to have escaped, only to have
looked at him sometimes makes you feel i'll
for days afterwards with disgust and fear.
''But was going to tell you what brave
thing Talbot did; as long as I live 1 shall
always think it was the bravest thing that
could be. and shall respect him as much as
any grown-up man, though he is only two
years older than am.
81 told you that we had all dismounted in
that shady place; the mules were standing
huddled together, but we were in no fear OF
the serpent, for we knew she would not quit
her prey; SO we all sat down, and the kind ole
monks broke off some branches, and we al
began to fan ourselves with them, while they
got out some provisions. There was sort o
patty, made of the flesh of iguanas-very nict
those creatures are, can tell you-and theI
there was some cake of Indian corn, and som,
baked parrots; but just as we put the very frs
mouthful into our mouths, Talbot started VI
as if he was perfectly astonished, and said t.
us, why, youngsters, we shall never be OF
board ship by sundown if we stop to res
here, and you know what our orders were;
and in an instant he threw down his cassavI
and bread, and began to saddle one of tn,
mules with all his might. We were extremely
surprised; we did not know that the orde
had been at all urgent. The monks too wer
surprised; they arose with many bows, ant
as plainly as possible let him understand
that it was their wish and intention
to rest. But the more they said
the faster Talbot saddled. Their bows ant
politeness changed to anger, and still thu
saddles went on; they thought he could no
understand, but they understood that he wa
perfectly bent upon setting off again forth
with; and boy as he was, they did not seem Il
know what to do to prevent it. We wer
rather sullen at being so disturbed; but Tai
us, that when he ordered Owen to get NJ
and mount, the poor little fellow obeyet
instantly. Talbot struck the mule with
whip, and off she set down the spine. No,
then he said to ME, up with you, t
your mules ready. He was tremblin,
with hurry and impatience. No, said, i
suits me to wait a little longer shall neve
forget his face then, it seemed to expires
, so many things-terror, entreaty, and deter
minaton. I've no time to wait, he said
but if you don't mount this instant, t,
, nlatst strike you. He was far stronger than
, but as he lifted up the whip knocked up tn
, handle and it fell. Instantly he turned
the Indians, they obeyed him, and set Of
without word, then the astonished monks
, casting melancholy eyes on the provisions
! were somehow made to mount. L don't kno
t how he did it; but suppose they were S
| amazed at his behavior and his audacity, tha
3 they had no sense left to contend; and Talbo
8 gave each mule such a blow at parting, thG
{ She set off at full speed.
4 Al l.. lof f,,r.t nd 10 t1,o,,