The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-30
EXTRA-HAZARDOUS.

lnc event Oh tnc SeuSOn ut inc - mouse
on of the most fashionable summer re.
sorts among the hills of New England
Most of the young ladies were getting
up their compilations in their rooms
and Miss Antoinette Livingston was just
starting forth to refresh hers where she
| had originally obtained it out. /. The
sun and brcezes; not that its delicate
tint looked in particular need of refresh
mcnt, as she stood OH the piazza array
ed in blue cloth walking-suit that fit
ted well to the full yet plant lines OF
her rather tall figure. A little white
plume was stuck in the jaunty blue hat
the shining yellow hair, the envy of the
other girls, fell in loose knot down
her shoulders, and the dark blue eyes
with which she scanned the surround
peaks of the lordly mountains, were as
wide open, clear and confident as O
child's-a child's who has never beer
frightened. And why, indeed, should
they not, seeing that no child was ever
more sedulously protected from all that
could shock, pain, or grieve, in the harsh
realities of the world. The pet of q
family that had been wealthy for gener.
ations, the flattcred queen of the circle
her beauty had drawn around her, tho
walls and angles of life were indeed all
upholstered for her, and the Providence
she said her prayers to was very polite
and gentlemanly deity.
Miss Livingston finally finished her
inspection of the mountains and started
roff briskly for her walk, drawing after
her 10 the next turn of the road skein
of admiring glanccs from the groups OF
la1iaa nd Oapf Inn,n,, thn
one pulls out ball of molasses candy.
An hours walk, seasoned with botanic
ing, was her usual afternoon recreation,
and she had not intended that the pro-
gramme to-day should differ from the
customary one. But, yielding to the
scductions of an old wood road, halt
overgrown with bushes and young trees
she was beguiled on from one fork and
turn to another, until she finally found
self fairly in the woods, the road haying
passed by insensible gradations into the
forest. AT first she was not much dis
turbed, having no doubt that she could
easily regain the road and go out as she
came in. But, after walking vigorous
ly for half an hour without coming to
anything, lump began to come up in
her throat, and she was forced to admit
that she was lost
She had now come into an open, rocky
place. where the trees had grown infrc-
qucnt and stunted, and the sun fell hot
ly on slabs of granite scattered around
and interspcrscd with tindery MOSES
and whortlcberry bushes. With the
feeling that she was lost, the strength
suddenly left her limbs, and she sat
down on the shady side of a mass ofrock,
feeling very much like crying, and with
considerable ado TO keep that lump in
her throat from growing unmanagcable.
Although the lovely color had some
what left her face, | know well'the old
rock had never borne prettier flower on
its rugged bosom. 1t would not do to
give way to her feelings, however; she
must keep her wits about her, and so
she bit her lips TO prevent them from
trembling, and sought, by an effort of
the will, TO still the beating ofher heart.
But these praiseworthy efforts at self
control were suddenly nulliiled by u
sight that for n moment stopped her
heart entirely.
A big, rough-looking man was walk
ing with swinging gait across one end
of the opening. The slouch hat, the
coatless flannel shirt, the bronzed face
and unkcmpt beard, the bundle on a
stick across his shoulder, left no sort of
doubt in her mind that he was genu-
inc ,unadulteratcd, ,andunusually lormid-
able example of the species tramp-that
variety of wild beast that has succeeded
the bears and wolves in the undisturb-
ed possession of American fields and
forests. A hundred tales of the violent
and bloody doinGs which have made
the tramp the terror of women and
children the country through, with the
sense of her utterly helpless position,
flashed through Miss Livingston's mind.
Apparently he had not yet seen her.
Scarcely daring to breathe, she rose to q
crouching posture, and, without taking
her eyes from the tramp, silently step.
ped backward around the rock, in
whose shadow she had been sitting, and
to her intense relief, found herself AT
length Withdrawn from his possible
view.
How loud that cricket sang. There
it was again; in spite of her preoccupa.
tion, she could not help noticing that il
did not sound exactly like a cricket, eli.
ther. II was more like the rattle OF
dried peas in pod. She glanced down
TO the spot whence it proceeded. IIei
eyes froze with horror. A second more
and n huge rattlesnakc sprang like
lightning upon her. Instinctivcly
throwing ont her arms to defend herseii
she shrieked at the top of her voice. In
stepping around the rock, without look.
ing where she was going, she had prob
ably brushed across the reptile as 1t lay
! hQ Cl.inor in thn aud
In moment the tramp, the idea ot
whose existence had been shocked on
of her mind, came running up. She
was too much under the horror of the
snake TO think of him, except as a In.
man helper. She pointed TO the crea
ture which was coiling itself in readi
ness for another stroke if necessary
and the tramp, seizing fragment ol
rock, hurled it with such force and pre-
cision that the reptile was stretched
crushed and wriIhing. Then he turned
and stared at her with an expression in
dicating his profound astonishment n
happening on a Acknowledgement
young lady in such locality.
Are you better?' he finally asked.
"I don't know" she said.
In her excitement she had not beer
conscious of a sting, but now, as sh,
directed her mind TO the question, she
felt an odd sensation near the elbow o
her right arm. There was also n we
spot on the sleeve. 1t fitted tight to he
arm and would not come up. Tn,
tramp opened his pocket-knile and CAV,
it to her, saying, pernmpiorily,
Grip il upr
She hcsitated, and then, apparent,
recognizing that il was 10 time for prn
derry, began TO cut and haggle at tn,
sleeve, making such poor work that h,
was evidently on the point of taking ih,
knife ont of her hand and doing il fo
her, but refraincd. As she raised tn,
severed sleeve above the round, whit,
flesh, she turned aside a little so that h
could not see. There, on the outside O
her arm, were two rod ppnctures in th
flesh, from which few drops of bloc,
had exuded.
'Lct's sec,' said the tramp, and sh