Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-10-11


open gate, / entered the compound.
The first servant that met, and who
lifted his hand to his snow-white tur-
ban with a polite "Salaamr' and a
smile that showed the white teeth
between his bearded lips, was a man
whom / knew, 6 Mahratta groom,
who had formerly been in my faith
er's service, and whose child I had
nursed through an attack of the Cey-
Ion fever.
'Lall Singh!n / gasped out, pant
ing for breath, "do me kindness for
the sake of old bread and salt. Get
me some fresh milk quickly, for the
love Of God, but ask no questions
bhai,'
Something in my tone impressed
the Ayahratta, for without a word he
hurried off and soon returned. bear
ing jar of milk and drinking ves-
sci, or lota, which would contain
something less than a pint, and
which, at sign from me, he filled
with milk. This very act, slight rs
it may seem, was no small compli-
ment, for it was, doubtless, his own
drinking-cup that Lall Singh was
al WING mo and Sba,il an,, lin not
belonging to one of pure Hindu de-
scent touch its FURNISHED rim, it
would hereafter be unfit for use.
However, scarcely waited to utter
a word of thanks, but snatched up
the brass lo.a and darted out.
1t may be thought singular that /
had not given the alarm to the house.
hold at Mr.. Forster's plantation; but
/ had resolved that / would not, If
could do my errand unquestioned,
create turmoil which might bring
about the very evil against which l
was striving to provided. Oswald's
mother and sisters loved him, but
their nerves were not of the strong
est, and their outcries, had they
heard the news, would have had the
effect of summoning a score of SER
wants and coolies, and to seal Os-
wald's fate by sending a posse of vol
unteers to the place where he lay at
the snakes mercy.
AS if on winged feet, yet carrying
the precious draught of milk with
jealous care 1 hurried back to the
spot where, at the foot of the huge
TALBOT tree, lay Oswald, yet asleep.
The snake, however, as though I'M
easy, was beginning to stir. Its
head wagged slowly from
side to side among the white wild
flowers, and its slender tongue pro-
traded from between it's grim jaws.
i was in time, and, as / poured the
milk, or rather a portion of it, on the
ground, so that long trail should
lead to the spot where / set down the
brass drinking-cup, with what of its
remained, was careful to
avoid, by any abrupt gesture, incens-
ing the tic palunga.
Then came a minute or two of ago
nizing expectancy, and then, to my
great JOY, saw the reptile slowly
uncoil himself, evidently making for
the milk. First one wreath and then
of the snakes body was
and the great serpent,
brushing through the forest grass
aud fiowerets, stopped its broad head
to drink. AS / saw Oswald thus
freed, and the unsupported foe draw
farther and farther away ftom the
place where he reposed, / felt the
strength which had hitherto sup
ported me become weakness. My
nerves being no longer braced by the
sense of Oswald's mortal peril, the
instructive terror and disgust which
/ had from childhood felt for the SER
pent tribe overpowered me, and i
grew giddy and weak, and could
scarcely stand and scarcely see.
What was this before my dim
eyes? The well-known porch of the
Dutch colonist's summer-hoase,
overgrown by trailing creepers, and
all but choked by tall weeds.
/ entered, and sinking
down on moldering wooden seat,
once dccked with silken cushions
and gold leaf, gradually regained
the physical strength which had de-
serted me and with it the capacity
for thought. 1t is curious how, in
such cases of exhaustion, the be-
mind slowly resumes some
train of abandoned thought, and thus
it was with me. BY degrees | re-
Oswald's danger, my own
efforts to save him, and
What was that rustiing among the
stems, and leaves, and buds of the
plants that festooned the
shattered windows OF the summer
house, in all the rank and profusion
of their tropical growth? Surely
surely not the ripping, undulating
motion with which huge snake
drags himself through the brake and
jungle grass! Yes; my fears were
but too true. for there in the open
window space--tbe broken ueIli--
work of which had been replaced hy
wild vines and dangling orchids~ap.
peared, at height Of six or seven
feet above the ground, the hideou-
head OF the serpent that bad lately
menaced Oswald, and now confronted