The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-10-09

me, hnd grew weak, ard could Source
y stand and scarcely see.
What was this before my dim eyes I
The well known porch Of the Dutch
colonlst's summer house, overer0wn by
trailing creepers, and all hut chokni by
tall weeds. Mechanically l entered,
and sinking down on moldering wood.
eli seat, once dccked with silkcn cush.
ions and goldleaf, gradually regnine,l
the lhysical strength which had de.
serted me, and with it the capaGity for
thought. It is curious how, in sncIl
cases OF extreme exhaustion, tho be
numbed mind slowly resumes some
abandoned trAip u thought, and thus it
was With me. By degrees remembered
Oswaid'S danger, my own efforts to sHva
him. and
What was That rustliug among tho
stems and leaves and buds Of tho luxuri
ant plants that festooned tho shattered
windows OF tho summer house in all the
rank proiusion Of their tropical growth
Surcly-surely not the rippling, undu.
latipg motion with which u huge snake
drugs himself through the brake and
Jungle grassl Yes; my fears werc but
too true. for there in the open window
space-the broken trClliswork OF which
Ind been replaced by wild vines and
langling orchards-appearcd, at q
height Of six or seren feet above the
ground, the hideous head Of the serpent
that had lately meuaced Oswald and
now confronted mo.
And when it flashed upon mo that this
deserted kiosk wos probably tho reptiles
actual home. and that, as though in tho
very irony of terror, / had ventured to
intrude into the lNir Of the terrible
creature from tho sight of which | had
once that 0swald's safety seemed as
sured-rceled dizziIy away. had often
heard Of the strange taste which snakes
evince for ~ abandoned human dwell
ing, and how frequently they haunt the
outbuildings OF Europeans abodes and
the huts OF the natives, aud yot here Ind
l rashly strnyed into tho lurking place
Of the lealliest guardian Of the Ceylou
jungle.
That tho snake was perturbel there
could hh no doubt. 1t curved its grace
ful neck like that OF n swan, and hissed
slightly, while its broad jaws were partly
opened. / iancicd that could see the
curved poison iAngs-moro to bo dread
ed than ever was Malay creeso or Moor
ish daggGr-while tho bright eyes gilt.
tered ominousIy. One wild, piercing
shriek could not reprcss and then the
futi!ity Of resistance or Of flight forced
itself upon me, and | stood, motionless
rs marble statue Of embodied fear,
gazing at the omcnldinc eyes fixed with
so pitiless stare Oh mine. The subtle,
sufocatinS odor which large scrpentS
exhale, when angry, reached me but
already l gave myself up for lost, and
waited passive till the tic palunga should
make his fatal dart.
The s;bilnnt noise from the snakes
half.shut jaws had grown louder, aud
the bright, haleIul eyes more mGnacirg,
while tue grim hctl,: lowered high Hlo!t,
ready to stIikr, wien suddenly some
thing bright flashed through tho flower.
ing bines Of the creeping plant, anl the
snakes hideous head and 1.-the body dis
appeared as il by mngic. Then nri5llowed
the sounds OF II fierce struggle, repeated
blows, tramplipg feet, and swapping
houghs, and the accents OF human voices;
and then Oswald came leupiug through
the doorway, c!asped mt III lis arms,
and bore mo ont into the broad light OF
days where loy-writhing yct-the car.
catSS of the snake. hewn through by the
snarp emitting ax which Oswald sill
grispcd in h's right hand.
Shabash!" exclaimed Lali Singh,
whose swarthy face CLEANED with delight
az he spurncd the body OF the vanquish-
ell reptile. at was well TINT the first
blow went home, or it would have fGred
but badly with the young sahib when
this Hrcarsed slayer OF men turned OIL
him. WGh Ill sooner have faced IL
tiger"
TO La!I Singh I was, indeed, in no
slight degrca indebted for my safety.
Convinced, from the agitation OF my
manner, that something was wrong, he
had followed me, and was in the act Of
nrousing Oswald from his slumbcr when
tho piercing shrek which fear had
wrung from mo re-echoed through the
woods and called attention to the immi-
nence Of the peril. Then Oswald had
snatched mp one OF the keen, short axes
which the native woodcutters had left
sticking in tree trunk, and Ind been
fortunate enough to disable the snake at
the first blow.
Ny story is now told, and l have only
to add TINT l was overwhelmed with
praises and caresses by tho Forster fam.
iIy-hithGrto 70 coll-and that on the
following day Mr.. Forster himself rode
over TO my fathers house to entreat Mr..
Tnvers, from whom he had OF late been
cstrauged, 10 accept his renewed friend
ship, and to nsk for my ham: on behalf
Of his son. Oswald lost his passage on
board the homcw0rd bound steamer
that was to touch at Point do Galle; and
when he did visit Europe, he took with
him Ellen Travers as his wife.
We have long been happily settled
far from tropic iungles and their dan
gerous habitants-bnt never has either
my husband or myself forgotten those
few instants of bitter anguish aud alarm
beside the tank OF Minary.